Former Tennessee Volunteer already named massive steal for Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders tied for the worst record in the league in 2025, so it's obvious they needed plenty of help this offseason.

The team made quite a bit of moves in free agency in a bid to improve. Tyler Linderbaum, Jalen Nailor, Kwity Paye, and Quay Walker were among the notable signings, so the roster definitely seems to be better on paper. 

However, one of the more impactful moves could end up being a fourth-round pick. The Raiders had a first-round talent fall into their laps and it already seems like the player could be a huge help. 

Jermod McCoy already looks like a steal 

Jermod McCoy was mocked in the first round in almost every single mock draft leading up to the draft. The Tennessee corner dominated in 2024, but unfortunately, didn't play in the 2025 season due to an injury. 

Still, despite missing a full season, McCoy was seen as one of the best corners in the draft. However, for one reason or another, McCoy suffered a tremendous draft day slide. Not only did McCoy not go in the first, but he also didn't go in the second or third round. 

The Raiders put an end to McCoy's slide, taking the corner in the fourth round. The Raiders desperately need to improve the secondary, so taking a top prospect like McCoy has no downside. 

So far in OTAs, McCoy is already looking like a starting NFL corner. Silver & Black Sports Network's Jesse Merrick pointed out that McCoy doesn't look like a player with injury concerns. 

And you watch [McCoy] and you're just like, 'Yeah, I can tell he's a freak of nature athlete,'" Merrick said. "As I'm watching him, I'm sitting there trying to see like, okay, where does he look hampered by this knee? Because it is such a big deal in the storyline. And yes, they're keeping him on a pitch count and kind of limiting what he's doing and everything like that. But if you had no idea that he had this knee problem, you wouldn't notice it out there on the field."

That's certainly a positive note. McCoy starred for Tennessee, racking up 44 tackles and four interceptions in 2024. The physical corner was a solid tackler and had no problem keeping up with the fastest receivers in the SEC. 

There's never been a concern about McCoy's talent, it was always just an injury worry. But, if McCoy looks healthy like Merrick said, there's no reason to think he can't be a quality starter immediately. 

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