Mansoor Delane
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The Washington Commanders are urged to draft an "island pillar" for Daronte Jones' defense.
When the Washington Commanders handed the controls of their defense to first-time coordinator Daronte Jones, they paved the way for a more aggressive scheme featuring increased blitzing and creating the need for cornerbacks who can play on islands and shut down an opponent’s best wide receiver, qualities possessed by the best fit for the seventh-overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
That’s according to Locked on Commanders host David Harrison, who believes LSU stud Mansoor Delane fits what Jones’ scheme needs. Namely, a “sticky” corner outside the numbers.
Harrison calls Jones an “island pillar for Daronte Jones’ secondary and his defense. Mansoor Delane comes in 6-foot tall, 190 pounds, known as a ‘sticky.’ That’s the phrase that a lot of people like to use, meaning that he can stick to his receiver, kind of shadow those routes, things like that. Great coverage skill and all those things.”
David Harrison
For Daronte Jones to be highly aggressive, he needs “sticky” cornerbacks. 🔒
On today’s Mock Draft Monday, we get him his “island pillar” at No. 7:
🐅 Mansoor Delaine, CB, LSU
📏 6’0″, 190 lbs
Elite coverage skills to shadow WRs all day.
While Harrison was merely making a mock draft suggestion, the idea the Commanders will target cornerbacks for Jones’ new-look unit is endorsed by a former Washington Pro Bowl defensive back.
Former Commanders Pro Bowler Backs Cornerback Plan
DeAngelo Hall knows all about the importance of competent and opportunistic corners. Especially in a pressure-heavy system.
Hall played cornerback in the NFL for 14 years, including nine-and-a-bit seasons suiting up for the Burgundy and Gold. His best season in Washington was 2010, when Hall snatched a joint-career best six interceptions, while playing in the blitz-crazed schemes of then-coordinator Jim Haslett.
Jones is also likely to bring extra rushers often, based on what he learned from elite blitz designer Brian Flores with the Minnesota Vikings. It’s a significant change from how the Commanders operated defensively last season, as Hall told JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports, “Talk about a scheme that’s a little vanilla to a scheme that’s aggressive, that can change lives for these corners.”
JP Finlay
Talking w @DeAngeloHall23 about the Commanders young DBs in Daronte Jones’ system: “Talk about a scheme that’s a little vanilla to a scheme that’s aggressive, that can change lives for these corners.”
The problem for the Commanders is they lack enough marquee talent at the position to make the change work. Particularly after the team finally called time on the ill-fated trade for four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore.
Although the latter never lived up to the billing, Washington’s secondary was also undone by regression from second-year pro Mike Sainristil. He’ll have a better chance of getting back on track with somebody like Delane around to lock down the perimeter.
Mansoor Delane What Washington Is Missing
Delane has all the traits of a true shutdown cover man. Those traits are best summed up by the numbers.
Stats from Pro Football Focus, cited by NFL.com Senior Researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno reveal Delane “allowed 7 first downs in coverage in 2025. The only Power 4 CB to allow fewer was Jadon Canady (5). Among 185 CB with 30+ targets in coverage.”
NFL Researcher
Mansoor Delane allowed 7 first downs in coverage in 2025, per @PFF.
The only Power 4 CB to allow fewer was Jadon Canady (5).
Among 185 CB with 30+ targets in coverage.
The numbers make for impressive reading, but so does the pedigree of Delane dominating for LSU, a factory of sorts for quality pro-level defensive backs.
Names such as Super Bowl champion Tyrann Mathieu, eight-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson and current Houston Texans back-to-back All-Pro Derek Stingley Jr., all became stars for the Tigers.
Delane has the credentials to follow suit as a press-style operator who can shift inside in nickel sets, but is at his best near the sideline. Unfortunately, the Commanders won’t get to view the physical skills up close at the annual Scouting Combine, because Delane won’t work out in Indianapols, according to Rams Wire writer Cameron DaSilva, but the latter reported the player did meet with the Los Angeles Rams.
There were also meetings with Washington’s NFC East rivals the New York Giants, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, along with the Dallas Cowboys, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
The field of suitors for Delane will be crowded, but the Commanders shouldn’t leave the Combine without gathering as much intel as possible on the matchup corner they’ve been without for too long.