The Dallas Cowboys, eliminated from playoff contention weeks before the regular season finale, found themselves in the swath of teams with little to do but wait for Week 18 to end and the offseason to begin.
America's Team got a head start on the festivities.
On Tuesday, Dallas released Trevon Diggs, citing a breach in team-travel protocol and glossing over three years of injury-riddled underperformance. There was clearly tension between Diggs and the team, and with an excuse to put themselves back in the headlines, the Cowboys capitalized.
Now, it's on the front office to replace Diggs -- and his ball skills -- on the boundary. They'll have two first-round picks to try and do so.
First-round cornerback options for the Dallas Cowboys
Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
McCoy entered the year as the top cornerback on most boards, and it seems like he's retained that stock, even without playing in 2025.
An ACL injury cost McCoy his platform season, but he had all the makings of a top-15 pick after his first year in Tennessee. As long as the medicals check out, McCoy will be an easy first-round pick because of his proficiency in a wide range of coverages. He's a strong athlete with good feet and a knack for making plays from both off-man and press coverage.
Mansoor Delane, LSU
Delane is another transfer corner who leveled up in his transition to the SEC. He comes with plenty of ball skills to replace Diggs' game-changing upside, and has proof of concept for his ability to be a lockdown corner on the boundary.
Delane played well in many of LSU's high-profile contests, including Alabama, Oklahoma, and Clemson. With prototypical athleticism and enough size at 6'0", 190 pounds, Delane is a plug-and-play starter on the perimeter.
Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Pound-for-pound, Terrell may be the best corner in this class. He has the processing and smooth footwork to play both man and zone coverage, along with the burst to break on the football. In the run, his willingness and physicality stand out -- even with suboptimal size -- and shouldn't fade at the next level.
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Terrell shares many of the qualities that made his older brother, AJ Terrell, a first-round pick. While he may have to move inside at the next level, Terrell has a high floor and a plethora of encouraging intangibles.
Colton Hood, Tennessee
Hood burst onto the scene in McCoy's absence at Tennessee. It marked his return to the SEC after transferring from Auburn to Colorado, finding success, and seizing an opportunity with the Volunteers.
Hood struck iron while it was hot, declaring with multiple years of eligibility remaining. Perhaps that's an indictment on information the league is giving his camp. There were some bumps along the way, and only one interception, but Hood's 2025 season showcased a high ceiling and athleticism that plays better than his future testing will suggest.
Hood's floor should render him a candidate for Dallas' second pick in Round 1 (via the Green Bay Packers), and he'd be a viable candidate if the Cowboys were to trade down into Day 2.
Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
Cisse has an intriguing combination of processing and burst that should put him in position to make plays at the next level. His acceleration plays better than his speed and is used well while clicking downhill, even if his tackling can be hit or miss.
While he's played more on the boundary in recent years, his aggressiveness and acceleration could put him back in the slot, where he spent his freshman season at NC State. Another late-Day 1 prospect, Cisse is a bit of a projection in zone coverage but has the requisite length and athleticism to trust in man coverage.
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