Bengals receive concerning news about one of the favorites to be their first-round pick and there’s additional evidence
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy is one of the more popular mock draft selections for the Cincinnati Bengals, but his NFL Combine medical recheck has sparked concerns leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Cincinnati Bengals want as many good defensive players to choose from with the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy could be one of them. The 20-year old was a dominant defensive back for the Vols in 2024, but a torn ACL took him out for all of 2025.
McCoy has performed athleticism testing for NFL teams since his recovery, but the latest development with him is potentially discouraging for him to be drafted early.
Jermond McCoy’s medical recheck has teams concerned
The NFL Scouting Combine performs medical checks for all participating players, and some players end up going back for rechecks a month later. McCoy was one of the names to be re-evaluated for all 32 clubs to get a better sense of what his knee is like more than a year since his injury.
McCoy’s recheck has teams concerned about his knee being in “degenerative condition.”
That phrase has already gotten some run this pre-draft cycle with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. A report surfaced from the combine stating his ACL is “potentially degenerative.” Downs’ family denied the report, and Pat McAfee revealed multiple teams saw nothing wrong with his medical.
McCoy’s situation is obviously different, as he suffered a known torn ACL over a year ago. It’s why he didn’t perform drills at the combine. He saved it all for his pro day workout on Mar. 31 when he ran a certified 4.40 40-yard dash. Running and jumping in a straight line, however, wasn’t enough to quell concerns that day/
McCoy was already giving teams pause before he got checked again
McCoy going back for a recheck in the first place was already a concerning development. It means teams wanted more information about his injury, and had good reason for that desire.
McCoy’s pro day numbers were promising, but performing on-field drills were not as encouraging.
Agility and change of direction is so imperative of quality cornerback play. If McCoy wasn’t up to par in that regard the first time clubs watched him since 2024, it’s a cause for concern.
This could have legs. McCoy’s injury took him out for a long time, and teams may have legitimate concerns about his current and long-term health. It could make the Bengals pause before using a top-10 pick on him next week. He’s been one of the more popular picks for Cincinnati in mock drafts under the assumption his knee is fine.
It could also be entirely smoke like it appears to be for Downs, and a team is trying to get McCoy to fall to them. All it takes is one club to put his name on the card.
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