NFL Draft's biggest faller: Why Jermod McCoy's injury concerns sent him to Day 3, teams that could take him

Injury questions cloud an elite CB as teams debate risk vs. upside entering Round 4

Jared Dubin

Apr 25, 2026

11:26 am ET

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3 min read

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Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy is considered one of the top prospects at his position in the 2026 NFL Draft class. He was the top corner and No. 6 overall prospect on CBS Sports draft analyst Mike Renner's big board, for example. And yet, after three rounds, McCoy is still available.

This is because of McCoy's injury red flags. He suffered a torn ACL at the end of the 2024 college football season and did not play at all in 2025. He also did not participate in the NFL Scouting Combine, instead only working out and going through drills for teams in the weeks before the draft. The problem is he could be headed for another knee surgery.

McCoy's ACL itself is reportedly in good shape, but there's concern about a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee, per NFL Media. Some doctors believe he needs another surgery, which would require an "extensive" recovery.

According to Yahoo! Sports, some teams are taking the position that if the next surgery -- which could knock McCoy out for his entire rookie season -- is not successful, it could effectively end his career. The surgery would reportedly involve taking a piece of bone and cartilage from elsewhere in the knee and transporting it to try and fix the defect.

Jermod McCoy

TENN • CB • #3

2024: First-team All-SEC (4 INT, 9 PD, 44 tackles)

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That's how a player with clear first-round tape -- one some considered the best at his position in this class -- falls to Day 3 and will be, at best, the 12th player taken at his position. We saw something similar with Will Johnson last season, when he was considered arguably the top cornerback-only prospect in the class but fell to the middle of the second round due to injury concerns.

Of course, it's also possible the team that drafts him lands a steal and he outperforms his draft slot because the talent level is so high. If he can get and stay on the field, he'll likely be a difference maker.

With that in mind, here are some teams that could be a fit for the former Volunteers corner:

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders have one of the thinnest cornerback rooms in the NFL, even though they selected Arizona's Treydan Stukes at No. 38 overall. Apart from Stukes, the Raiders have only Eric Stokes, Darien Porter, Decamerion Richardson and Chigozie Anusiem under contract at outside corner. (They have Taron Johnson in the slot.)

Cincinnati Bengals

We know Cincinnati needs all the help it can get on defense -- even after trading the No. 10 overall pick for former Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The Bengals have spent several picks on defensive backs in recent years, but none has established himself as a true top-flight NFL corner. They're likely to start Dax Hill and DJ Turner on the perimeter this year, and McCoy could raise the talent level in the room.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints lost Alontae Taylor in free agency and are currently looking at Kool-Aid McKinstry and Isaac Yiadom as likely starters at outside corner. They might prefer someone with inside-outside versatility (McCoy played only 20 snaps in the slot during the 2024 season), but if they want a shot at potentially the best corner available on Day 3, McCoy could fit.

New York Jets

Head coach Aaron Glenn could use an infusion of talent in the defensive back room after the Jets traded Sauce Gardner in the middle of last season. New York did select D'Angelo Ponds at No. 50 overall, but McCoy is a different kind of player. The Jets have been a big winner in the 2026 NFL Draft so far. They could build on a strong performance by scoring McCoy late.

Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore hit on Nate Wiggins with its 2024 first-round pick, but it's currently slated to start Chidobe Awuzie opposite him. The Ravens have a history of finding value by drafting players whose talent exceeds their draft slot, and McCoy could fit that mold if they're comfortable with the medicals.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have Isaiah Rodgers and recent free-agent signee James Pierre as their likely outside corners, and they lack depth behind them. Giving defensive coordinator Brian Flores a high-upside option would allow him to continue scheming up all sorts of creative packages, as he has throughout his career.

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