Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy’s slide continued during the NFL Draft on Friday. McCoy fell out of the second and third rounds of the draft in Pittsburgh and will now have to wait until Saturday to hear his name called.
McCoy spent much of the pre-draft process as a projected first-round draft pick this weekend. However, in the last week, McCoy slid to a second-round projection. He’ll now go in the fourth round at best on Saturday.
McCoy’s medical concerns clearly seem to be an issue for NFL teams. The Texas native missed the Vols’ entire 2025 season with an ACL injury, but reports throughout the week have suggested more potential knee concerns moving forward. NFL reporter Tom Pelissero shared some of his information on McCoy earlier in the week.
“For clarity, let’s talk about what this is and what this isn’t,” Pelissero said on the NFL’s GMFB show. “It’s not the ACL that he had reconstructed. That graft has taken and the knee looks good in terms of the ACL itself. The concern is about a bone plug that was used to fix a cartilage defect. There is concern among at least some NFL team doctors that he is going to undergo, or need to undergo, a second surgery to replace that bone plug, which would be an extended type of recovery.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer also shed some light on what he had heard about McCoy during this week’s Monday Morning QB article:
“I feel terrible for him, because this one is beyond his control—and I said a week ago I think he has a chance to go in the top 10. Since then, every team I’ve talked to—every last one of them—has said that the knee he tore up in January 2025 remains a major concern,” Breer wrote. “Without getting into all the ins and outs of the medicals, the question isn’t whether he’ll be ready to go when he joins his new team next week. It’s more centered on his longevity, making his case similar to—maybe a little worse than—Will Johnson’s last year.”
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McCoy originally began his career with Oregon State in 2023 before transferring to Tennessee in 2024. During his first year with the Vols, McCoy was a dynamic piece of UT’s secondary and helped lead Tennessee to the College Football Playoffs. He was a game-changing player for the Vols against SEC competition, racking up 44 tackles, seven pass deflections, and four interceptions.
The biggest storyline around McCoy has been his availability, though. Just one month after the Vols’ loss in the CFP, McCoy tore his ACL in January 2025. That injury forced the six-foot cornerback to miss the entire 2025 season with Tennessee. McCoy did not participate in any on-field drills during the NFL Combine, but he did do on-field activities during Tennessee’s Pro Day in late March. McCoy ran the 40-yard dash and did position drills involving cutting and lateral movement.
When healthy, McCoy is one of the most talented players in the entire draft class. He provides sticky coverage on the outside, has a great nose for the football, and is both physical and quick.
It’s a sad situation for such a talented player. While he didn’t play for Tennessee in 2025, McCoy was a key presence in the Vols’ DB room last year as he helped Colton Hood and Ty Redmond make the most of their opportunities.
Tennessee has had two players selected during the NFL Draft so far. Cornerback Colton Hood went 37th overall to the New York Giants, while wide receiver Chris Brazzell went 83rd overall to the Carolina Panthers.
Stay tuned to Rocky Top Insider for more Tennessee-related NFL Draft coverage.
