Latest NFL mock draft reveals Jermod McCoy may have to nail the Combine to be CB1

Jermod McCoy is probably the most intriguing player in the draft. Despite missing the entire 2025 season after suffering a torn ACL last January, he is almost guaranteed to be a first-round pick and some mock drafts have him approaching top-10 status for nearly a year.

But whether McCoy will be the top cornerback in the draft selected is a much greater debate and one that the 2024 1st-team All-SEC performance will have a chance to chime in on at the end of the month at the NFL Combine. Nicholas Rome of Saturday Blitz has McCoy as the No. 13 selection (Los Angeles Rams) in his most recent mock draft, the second corner taken behind LSU's Mansoor Delane, who is being mocked to the New York Giants at No. 5.

Jermod McCoy has an uphill battle to be CB1 in the NFL Draft

There's no question that McCoy is a first-round talent and there aren't many teams in the NFL that are worried about his ability to get back to full health after his injury, but he will still want to blow teams away with his workout. Scouts have already seen the football IQ, the ball skills and ability to compete against top competition at a high level. But the questions are going to be whether McCoy has gotten his explosive speed back and the elite agility, movement and recovery speed that are the hallmark of a top cornerback. 

McCoy transferred to Tennessee in 2024 after spending his freshman season at Oregon State. He quickly locked down a starting spot with the Volunteers and had 44 tackles with four interceptions and nine pass breakups in his sophomore year. McCoy was on nearly every preseason All-American or All-SEC list and began practicing with the team during August training camp. There were many instances where it was believed McCoy would return to the field in 2025, but it never happened. 

McCoy declared for the NFL Draft on December 10, 2025 and closed out his career with the Volunteers by saying, "even though my time on the field was cut short, I will be forever grateful for my time here at the University of Tennessee, It has been a true honor, and I’m appreciative for every moment I had in the orange and white.”