Tennessee Volunteers cornerback Jermod McCoy is vying for a spot in the NFL even after the first day of this year’s draft, as he is coming off a major setback that may have impacted his stock.
McCoy is among the hopefuls still waiting for their names to be called in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But for McCoy, his draft stock has slid from the first round to the second round.
This can be attributed to the fact that McCoy suffered a torn ACL early last year. This caused the young talent to miss all of the recently concluded college football campaign for coach Josh Heupel.
The injury is said to have occurred right after the 2024 campaign, which ended McCoy’s collegiate football career prematurely. Still, the Volunteers competed hard last year with an overall record of 8-5 (4-4 SEC).
Unfortunately for McCoy, it seems as though the said injury has limited his draft stock since two other cornerbacks, LSU Tigers’ Mansoor Delane and San Diego State Aztecs’ Chris Johnson, were picked in the first round. Several from the football world believe that McCoy’s talents are on par with the aforementioned, but his lingering knee issues may have been taken into account by NFL teams.
NFL Analyst Matt Miller Previously Explained Why Jermod McCoy’s Draft Combine Will Help His Stock
In an article by Howie Kussoy, published in The New York Post in mid-April, NFL analyst Matt Miller explained how Jermod McCoy’s draft combine performance can help people be reminded of his abilities.
This is because McCoy had a great showing during the combine, which caught the attention of onlookers. Still, Miller said that it will help his draft stock no matter what.
“[The] 4.38, to show the explosion in the [38-inch] vertical and [10-foot, 7-inch] broad jump as well, and then to get out there and do positional drills. McCoy did everything. There was some question, even [that] morning, from NFL scouts, what would he actually do after sitting out at the combine? So this was fantastic for him to remind people, with some late buzz, that he was the top corner in this class and would have been,” Miller was quoted as saying.
“I think, the top corner in last year’s class had he been draft eligible then. Obviously the ACL injury in January was unfortunate, but what a way to rebound. And again, late buzz is better than early buzz. To remind general managers about 20 days before the NFL Draft who you are, that you’re healthy, I think that momentum is really going to help him out,” he continued.
Also Read: CFN All-SEC Corner Jermod McCoy’s 2025 Season in Jeopardy After Offseason Injury
Read More: NFL Draft 2026 First Round Pick Tracker: Full List Of Selections Ft. Fernando Mendoza, Arvell Reese And More
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