After missing all of last season due to a torn ACL, Jermod McCoy has been on his grind trying to boost his NFL Draft stock. Despite not taking the field in 2025, the Tennessee cornerback has turned heads this offseason and the overwhelming expectation has been that he'll be a first-round pick.
Not so fast?
There seems to be growing concern around the league that McCoy may not be at 100 percent from his serious knee injury. SI's Albert Breer has spoken to several sources across NFL circles and the feedback he's getting is that McCoy's medical records are bringing up some red flags. This of course is not good news for the former Tennessee standout.
Albert Breer mentions that Jermod McCoy's injury situation is worse than Will Johnson's last year.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) April 20, 2026
Johnson fell to Round 2. https://t.co/M0qeorm6ho
Jermod McCoy's knee appears to be scaring off some teams before the NFL Draft
"If there’s one player who might tumble, I think it’s Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy," Breer wrote as part of his piece for SI. "And 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. 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."
Breer went on to add that he wouldn't be surprised if, similar to Johnson, McCoy falls to the second round. That would be the worst-case scenario for the standout defensive back, but could a CB-needy team decide to take a bit of a gamble on him come Thursday night?
After his strong 2024 campaign, McCoy indeed had first-round pick written all over him. However, while he was back home in Texas, McCoy tore his ACL while working out back home. It cost him his 2025 season and it no question was a back-breaking setback for Josh Heupel and his staff.
From the moment he hurt himself, McCoy went straight to work in his rehab and while he didn't return to the field for the Vols, he impressed everyone watching him at the NFL Combine this past winter. Now, though, it's completely unknown if the concerns surrounding his ACL injury are going to prevent him from hearing his name called come draft night. We sure hope that's not the case, as teams will no question regret passing up on him if they decide to do so.
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