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Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy didn't play in 2025, but he still entered the NFL Draft process with hopes of being a top-10 pick. Those hopes were dashed on Thursday when he fell out of the first round entirely.
After Mansoor Delane was selected No. 6 overall by the Chiefs, a run on cornerbacks never came. San Diego State's Chris Johnson was the only other cornerback taken in the first round, and McCoy's anxious wait continued into Friday.
A wide receiver in high school, McCoy transferred from Oregon State to Tennessee ahead of the 2024 season and emerged as one of the nation's top defensive backs before injury erased his 2025 campaign.
Here's what you need to know about McCoy's slide and how injury concerns might have scared teams off.
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Jermod McCoy draft slide, explained
Injury concerns are likely giving teams pause as they weigh whether to draft McCoy. Not only did the cornerback miss the entire 2025 season with a torn ACL, but additional knee concerns were reported as something teams flagged ahead of the draft.
Some teams are concerned that bone plug used to address a cartilage issue in McCoy's knee might need to be replaced, necessitating another knee surgery, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports. While McCoy's camp insisted before the draft that his knee is good to go and Pelissero reports the ACL is not a current concern, the potential for another knee surgery could be scaring teams away.
McCoy is also dealing with the simple reality that he hasn't played in a game in more than 16 months. His last game at Tennessee was in December of 2024, nearly 500 days ago. The 2021 draft proved that teams aren't scared off by a player sitting out a season, as Ja'Marr Chase and Micah Parsons were high first-round picks after sitting out the pandemic-impacted 2020 campaign, but neither had any injury concerns.
McCoy did, however, run a sub-4.4 40-yard dash at his pro day, which many thought would alleviate concerns about his knee and put him on track to be a first-round pick.
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When did Jermod McCoy tear his ACL?
McCoy suffered a torn ACL in a home workout in January of 2025, less than a month after Tennessee's season ended in the College Football Playoff. While he initially hoped to play in 2025, he sat out the entire season and prepared for the NFL Draft.
Jermod McCoy landing spots
Many teams have a need at cornerback in a pass-happy league, but McCoy still has to compete with other players at the position who were considered fringe first-round or early second-round prospects. Entering Day 2, Clemson's Avieon Terrell, Tennessee's Colton Hood and South Carolina's Brandon Cisse are all among available corners if teams aren't willing to take a chance on McCoy.
Near the top of the second round, the Raiders could look to give Fernando Mendoza a weapon but have needs all over their defense and could end McCoy's fall at No. 36. At No. 37, the Giants could use a long-term solution at cornerback opposite Paulson Adebo.
The Chiefs, at No. 40, could simply double down at cornerback after losing both starters to the Rams, while the Saints, picking 42nd, were known to have interest in Delane after losing Alontae Taylor this offseason.
Should McCoy's slide continue, the Buccaneers, picking 46th, could be in the market for a cornerback after losing Jamel Dean to free agency.
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