Former Tennessee Vols cornerback Alontae Taylor has had a strong start to his NFL career. The VFL has been a key part of the New Orleans Saints’ defense over the past four years since they took him the second round (49th overall pick) of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Now, it appears as though the former Vol could be in line for a big contract in free agency. ESPN put out a list of its top 25 free agents for 2026, and Taylor checked in at #11 on the list among all players and the top cornerback.

Alontae Taylor listed #11 overall player and top cornerback by ESPN in list of top 25 free agents for 2026

This is what Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler had to say about Taylor:

“What he brings: Taylor’s versatility and urgent play style shows on tape. He has the speed to cover on the perimeter, but he can also play a disruptive role in the slot. In four seasons with the Saints, Taylor has 3 interceptions, 37 pass breakups and 6 sacks.” via Matt Bowen, ESPN.com

“What we’re hearing: Taylor gets the edge as the top corner based on teams consulted for this exercise. He has good size (6 feet, 199 pounds) with the flexibility to play inside and out. The Saints and Taylor once discussed an extension, but a deal never happened, which made him a trade candidate at last week’s deadline. The Bears and Colts showed interest. As a reference point, the top 2025 free agent corners earned about $18 million per year on new deals.” – Via Jeremy Fowler, ESPN.com

Taylor has been a steady starter for the Saints over the last four seasons, but he’s provided something that teams covet and seems to be tougher to find nowadays: availability. Taylor appeared in 13 games during his rookie season in 2022 and has appeared in all 34 games from 2023-24 and all 10 games thus far in 2025.

The former Vol should be a hot commodity on the free agent market next season with his ability to play on the boundary or in the slot. According to Pro Football Focus, Taylor has played almost an even split in snaps between the nickel cornerback position (1385) and on the outside (1501). That flexibility should be a big added bonus for him as he seeks a new deal from what should be a number of interested suitors.

It’s always a great thing to see former Vols performing well and being rewarded for it, and it looks like Taylor will be the next to see that happen.

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