FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in February. Here’s a look at Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad II.
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2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Malik Muhammad II
Malik Muhammad II (CB – Texas)
6’0″ – 188 lbs.
Background
Four-star recruit who rotated in heavily as a true freshman, starting the last two games of the season and finishing with 31 tackles, four breakups, and an interception. Became a full-time starter in 2024, ending up with 36 tackles and eight breakups, then reprised that role this past year, with 30 tackles, four breakups, and two picks.
Positives
Two-year starter and three-year contributor for one of college football’s premier programs, with pretty good size for the position. Plays a lot of shuffle technique, often in zone coverages, and typically from the left side of the defense. Was asked to do some backpedaling and shows impressive balance and technique there. Shows clean footwork to get depth when shuffling, and does a nice job of keeping things in front of him. Maintains good sight lines from zone and plays with a patient, cautious approach to the position which limits big plays and should appeal to defenses with “bend, don’t break” philosophies. Does a good job of recognizing screens, flats, and swing routes developing and breaking off of his man to make the tackle. Has some twitch to his game when reacting at the route stem. Shows very good burst when driving on a spot, which allows him to get a little bit aggressive with his angles there. Uses his hands to disrupt opposing receivers and stay connected through the route stem when pattern-matching. Has pretty good speed to carry opponents down the field. Locates the ball quickly and uses his length and flexibility well to go for the breakup. Shows good contact balance.
Negatives
Might be a little bit smaller than his listed height, so pre-draft measurements could be important. Overall quickness looks closer to adequate. The flip side of his cautious approach is a susceptibility to quick throws underneath, and allowed completions on nearly sixty percent of his career targets. Can be a little bit too physical/gets grabby at the stem when working in man coverage, although he was only flagged seven times over the course of his career. Doesn’t always take the best angles in pursuit when defending against screens, and can sometimes undermine the defense by trying to work around blockers, rather than taking on blocks and forcing runners back toward help. Hasn’t been the most reliable tackler throughout his career.
Summary
A bit of a difficult evaluation in that he was asked to play a lot more conservatively than many of his peers in the class, so there’s not quite as much film of him playing bread-and-butter techniques like press-man. However, there’s enough on tape to establish him as a pretty twitchy, aware cornerback with good burst to drive on spots and put himself in position to go for the breakup. It’s possible he could slip into the third day in a loaded cornerback class, but he also fills a conservative, zone corner niche that is a bit underrepresented in this year’s class.
Projection: Round 4
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