Malik Muhammad — 2026 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba set the tone for that Longhorns secondary and both will now be paid to do the same in the NFL. It is Muhammad's unit now. He has good size, but it would be nice if that translated to more ball production this season.

Muhammad's attitude and upside would be a perfect fit for Zach Orr's defense. His 11 pass breakups tied for the 15th most in the FBS last season, and he didn't give up a touchdown as a zone-heavy corner. Scouts want to see him generate more turnovers (only one interception in two seasons), but he'll get opportunities to show that progress with Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba now in the NFL.

Cincinnati chose to strengthen its front seven with its 2025 draft capital, but now pivot to adding a lockdown cornerback to help the cause. Muhammad dialed up a 20% forced incompletion rate with 11 PBUs while allowing a microscopic .81 yards per coverage snap, and would represent an immediate upgrade.

If the Packers were willing to break from precedent in selecting wide receiver Matthew Golden in the first round on Thursday, why not once more next year? At 6-0 and 178 pounds, Muhammad is significantly lighter than the cornerbacks who typically catch Green Bay's eye. But if he can bulk up and cut down on some of the deep meltdowns that have marred his otherwise stellar play, the instinctive cornerback could follow former Texas teammate Jahdae Barron into a spot on Day 1.