Everyone is waiting to see when Tennessee football cornerback and stud playmaker Jermod McCoy will be able to take the field this season. He's been practicing a bit with the team, but it's going to be a huge shocker if he plays Week 1.
He may not be out on the field Week 2 either due to the torn ACL he suffered this past winter during an offseason workout back home in Texas. That injury is something ESPN is keeping in mind too. In its latest NFL Mock Draft for 2026, McCoy has fallen to No. 17 overall on Field Yates' big board. This is a respectable spot for McCoy, but if he keeps turning heads once he's fully healthy, it won't be a surprise to see him sneak into the Top 10.
Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy is going to the Bears at No. 17 in a new ESPN NFL Mock Draft
"If not for an ACL tear suffered in January, McCoy would be much higher," Yates wrote in his piece. "He has returned to the practice field in some capacity, but it's unclear when he will be cleared to play in games. He is a terrific perimeter cover corner, though, with ideal speed, length and ball disruption skills for the NFL. McCoy had an incredible debut season at Tennessee in 2024 after spending one year at Oregon State, picking off four passes and breaking up eight more. The Bears need more perimeter corners opposite Jaylon Johnson, so this makes sense."
As Yates noted, McCoy indeed would be going higher had he not suffered his serious knee injury. Despite that, he's still one of the top cornerbacks in the country and he's expected to be the leader on D for the Vols this upcoming campaign.
If all goes to plan, Tennessee will go 2-0 to start the season, which would lead up to an incredible Knoxville dance with Georgia at Neyland Stadium. The expectation is that McCoy will be ready to rock for that game and he can remind everyone in the SEC that he's a true baller in that showdown.
McCoy has been named a Preseason All-American by several publications and he'll be ready to back up the hype in '25. If he ends up doing that, it will no question raise his draft stock for when next April gets here. McCoy no question has all the tools to be a stud in the NFL in the future - Vols fans are confident about that.