One of the most polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft is Tennessee Volunteers' cornerback Jermod McCoy. A premier boundary defender on an SEC defense often doesn't invoke many concerns, but the junior's situation isn't common. He was far and away one of the best CBs in the country throughout his stellar sophomore campaign, but a knee injury prevented him from seeing the field in 2025.
A lingering recovery process continued to delay his return to action, as he sat out of February's NFL Combine. Even with all the noise surrounding his status moving forward, most NFL Mock Drafts still rank the Volunteer among the top prospects available. He routinely finds himself labeled with a Top 20 draft projection, clumped with LSU's Mansoor Delane, Clemson's Avieon Terrell, and fellow Tennessee product Colton Hood as likely first round selections at the cornerback position.
The high projections still come with controversy about how his health will hold up, especially in the short term, but he silenced much of the talk on Tuesday.
Questions answered
McCoy participated in his Pro Day at Tennessee on March 31, his first official athletic testing of the draft cycle. The hype was real surrounding how he would perform, and to say that he lived up to expectations would be an understatement.
His participation included the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump, posting high marks in all three drills. He was timed with a blazing 4.38-second 40-yard dash, got up to 38 inches in the vertical jump, and leaped 10'7" in the broad jump. All of said measurements would place firmly among the top performers at the combine, confirming his place, at least athletically, in the upper echelon of prospects in this year's class.
Trust the tape
On the field, there's a heck of a lot to like with McCoy's game. He's a physical man coverage corner with the ball skills to match, and he showed that he can do just about whatever is asked of him both in coverage and against the run.
If his tape wasn't enough to convince skeptics to overlook his injury history, his athletic showcase should go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. The New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs could be prime landing spots for the Rocky Top star, with the possibility of a franchise trading assets to move up into the Top 10 for his services remaining a realistic outcome.
McCoy may not end up hearing his name called in the draft's first 10 picks, but the odds that he does continue to climb by the day. He's a true shutdown corner with the experience and tools to succeed in the NFL for a long time, and his pro day may have been the icing on the cake to cement himself as one of the first handful of players taken on April 23.