The Las Vegas Raiders made one of the more intriguing selections in the 2026 NFL Draft when they took former Tennessee Volunteers cornerback Jermod McCoy early in the fourth round.
Many evaluators saw him as a first-round talent and one of the top corners in the class, but a torn ACL kept him out of the 2025 season. There is still some concern about how that injury could impact his long-term outlook.
With the uncertainty of how long McCoy’s NFL career can last, CBS Sports NFL analyst Bryant McFadden was blunt on the Raiders needing to get the most out of the cornerback.
“My steal [of the 2026 NFL Draft] was Jermod McCoy,” McFadden said during an April 25 appearance on CBS Sports HQ. “This was a guy who was, for sure, when you watch his tape, considered a first-round prospect, nowhere later than a top-15 pick, something like that. The Raiders got him in the top of the fourth round.
“Whichever organization drafts McCoy has to find a way to maximize everything they can out of him because of the health concerns. I believe the Raiders have something in place and let’s say it takes some time and he is not cleared until October.
“You are able to get a three- or four-year stint from him, this first-round talent, if you put him in that cornerback room right now and he is healthy, he is probably the most talented corner in their room among the experienced guys. So he is my steal, and I just hope everything works out in his favor.”
Jermod McCoy Breaks Silence About Injury Concerns
After being drafted by the Raiders, McCoy said his knee is feeling good and noted that any decision on additional surgery will come down to the team.
“All of my doctors that did my surgery told me [that] I’m good,” McCoy said (h/t Ryan McFadden of ESPN). “But if there’s something that [the Raiders] want me to do for the longevity of my career, I’m willing to do that because I feel like they have my best interest.”
Moreover, the new Raiders cornerback noted that the Silver and Black’s interest in him came late in the pre-draft process.
“They kind of got on my radar a little bit. I was kind of thinking [that] something was up,” McCoy added. “But I mean, I didn’t really have a clue where I was going to go, to be honest. So I mean, it’s just a blessing to get picked by the Raiders.
“I was prepared for whatever, but I was [expected] to go higher. I had a good pro day, ran some good times and did some good things. … It’s not in my control, and I’m just truly blessed that the team took me anyway, because it’s an achievement to get here in the first place.”
Raiders Willing to Take the Risk on Jermod McCoy
Meanwhile, Las Vegas is more than willing to roll the dice and hope that this draft pick works out in its favor. The team’s vice president of player personnel, Brandon Hunt, said they are waiting until McCoy arrives at the facility and meets with the medical staff to decide whether he needs another operation.
“We didn’t even get that far,” Hunt said. “We have a great medical staff, [head athletic trainer] Chris Cortez and [wellness coordinator] Alex [Guerrero]; we are going to get him in the building and make all the decisions. Right now, we’re excited about celebrating this kid.”
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