There’s always at least one unhappy camper at the NFL draft, usually a prospect whose draft stock tumbled and he feels like he’s been snubbed during the early rounds. Last year, that prospect was Shedeur Sanders. This year, it’s Jermod McCoy, albeit there’s a very different reason the Tennessee cornerback is rapidly falling down the draft boards in Pittsburgh.
McCoy, 20, is widely considered one of the top draft prospects at his position, but his arguable first-round talent comes at a steep price: McCoy tore his right ACL during an offseason workout shortly after the end of his 2024 season. He ended up sitting out for the entirety of the ‘25 season and never played another game for Tennessee, with his last appearance coming in December 2024 when Tennessee got blown out by Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff. In McCoy’s final collegiate season in 2024, he recorded 44 combined tackles, nine pass breakups and four interceptions.
Years later, McCoy has since fully recovered from his devastating ACL tear. He even ran a sub-4.4 40-yard dash during the Volunteers’ pro day. So, why is he still skidding down the 2026 NFL draft?
SI’s Albert Breer noted that NFL teams’ concerns aren’t about his health in 2026. Their concern is instead about his durability and longevity, with McCoy getting compared to former Michigan CB Will Johnson last year (Johnson was eventually selected with the No. 47 pick by the Cardinals in the ‘25 draft).
“Most teams expected him to fall out of the first round. Just a really tough break. Question is not about playing in 2026. He's ready to roll. It's how long the knee will hold up, like with Will Johnson last year,” Breer wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Day 2 of the draft.
Here’s more from Breerin a report he wrote earlier this month:
The positive on McCoy is that he’s seen by many as a better prospect than Johnson was, and he sparkled at his pro day after missing all of 2025 with the knee injury—posting a 40-yard dash in the 4.3s, a 38" vertical and 10'7" broad jump. He also feels great right now, I’m told, and will be ready to roll for the team that drafts him. But that, again, isn’t the question. The question is more about how long he lasts.
That’s why I’d say right now a best-case scenario for him would be that a playoff team sees a potential No. 1 corner, even if he doesn’t make it to a second contract, as a better value than what’s available at the end of the first round. I’d also say it’s possible he’ll fall out of the first round like Johnson did a year ago. Of course, it takes just one team to see this whole thing a little differently—and for this guy’s sake, you’d hope someone does.
Additionally, some NFL teams are reportedly concerned about the surgery McCoy underwent to fix his ACL tear. A bone plug was used to repair the cartilage defect in his right knee and it may need to be replaced in the future, which would require another knee surgery, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
As of the 60th pick in the second round of the draft on Friday night, McCoy still hasn’t been selected. Here's hoping McCoy doesn’t need to wait much longer to land on his new pro home.
More NFL Draft from Sports Illustrated
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollowPublished | Modified 
KRISTEN WONG
Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020 and has a bachelor’s in English and linguistics from Columbia University. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. She is a lifelong Liverpool fan who enjoys solving crossword puzzles and hanging out at her neighborhood dive bar in NYC.
Share on FacebookShare on XHome/NFLOriginal Article
