ESPN’s Jordan Reid released a new NFL first-round mock draft on Tuesday morning, which features multiple intriguing storylines for the Volunteers. The first topic that it brings up is around Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, and what sort of rise or fall he may have due to the injury that was suffered 12 months ago. The next topic that’s hit on in Reid’s mock draft is whether Tennessee will have a second first-rounder aside from McCoy. The last note of interest, and perhaps the most timely for Vol fans, is about a certain transfer portal prospect who may or may not be on the list.
Let’s start from the end and work backward from there.
Ty Simpson’s Draft Stock
With Tennessee still searching for a quarterback in the transfer portal, one name that has been mentioned in recent days is Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. The Tennessee native has not entered the transfer yet, but he is going through the NFL Draft process. The latest reports have suggested that if Simpson does not get a first-round grade from NFL scouts, he could return to the college ranks and look for a new home. On3 Sports’ Chris Low believes that school would be Tennessee if the opportunity presents itself.
“If that (draft) feedback is not that emphatic about, ‘Well, maybe you slide into the second round.’ Then, I think he’s going to look seriously at transferring, and if he does, then I think he lands at Tennessee,” Low said on Sunday’s episode of The RTI Low-Down. “I think Oregon is the other school that I’ve heard the most about. But if he does transfer, if he does transfer, I think you’re going to see Ty Simpson as Tennessee’s quarterback next year.”
So, with all that being said, Reid did nothave Ty Simpson listed as a first-round prospect in his latest draft, which certainly presents an interesting note for Vol fans. Reid only had two quarterbacks going in the first round overall, with Fernando Mezdona at No. 1 and Dante Moore at No. 2. Simpson could very well be the third quarterback in Reid’s rankings, but he doesn’t have him in the first 32 picks.
Will Tennessee Have Two First Rounders?
This is spoiling the next section a bit, but Reid does have McCoy listed in the first round. The question is whether or not one of his teammates will join him in the first 32 picks. In Reid’s mock draft, that answer is yes.
It cuts things close, but Reid has Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood going with the last pick in the first round to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 32.
“Hood blossomed in his lone season in Tennessee, his third college stop,” Reid writes. “Showcasing smooth transition skills and the awareness to make plays on the ball, Hood is a highly competitive player who fits into Mike Macdonald’s defense. He didn’t give up a touchdown pass this season, and his 10 pass breakups helped him finish in the top 30 of all FBS defensive backs.”
In recent mock drafts and draft analysis, Hood has been the definition of a fringe first-round player. Some analysts have him in the first 32; others don’t. It feels like things will rely on his combine testing, his interviews with the teams, and team needs to determine whether he can sneak into that first round. The talent, meanwhile, shouldn’t be questioned.
Does Jermod McCoy’s Recovery Cause Him to Fall?
The big question around Jermod McCoy’s draft stock is whether teams are comfortable with his injury recovery and health. Ultimately, it’s hard to determine that for two reasons. On one hand, we haven’t seen him go through combine testing, and there are certainly interviews that need to happen as well. On the other hand, though, it’s a bit subjective. Team doctors and staff members will have their say in the risk-reward conversation, but much of that will depend on what he shows on the practice field leading into the draft.
Reid has McCoy as a first-round pick, but it might be one of the lower projections that we’ve seen so far. He’s got McCoy going 25th overall to the Dallas Cowboys, who couldn’t possibly be in more need of help at that position.
“McCoy did not play at all this season after suffering an ACL tear last January,” Reid writes. “That makes him a tough evaluation, as scouts have varying opinions on when he should come off the board, but one could argue that he had top-10 potential entering the season.”
All in all, it does seem like McCoy will go in the first round. The question is whether it will be as high as a pick in the early teens or as low as a pick in the 20s.
Check out Jordan Reid’s full mock draft for ESPN here.
