What happened to former Vol Jermod McCoy on Night 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft is a reminder of how cruel and unfair sports can be
Former Tennessee Vols cornerback Jermod McCoy was supposed to be a first round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he fell out of the first round due to medical concerns that recently popped up.
For most of the offseason, the expectation was that Tennessee Vols cornerback Jermod McCoy would be a top 10–15 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
McCoy seemingly solidified his status as a first-rounder with an impressive Pro Day in March, which eased concerns about the torn ACL that caused him to miss the entire 2025 season.
Everything changed for McCoy earlier this week when NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that teams have concerns about the former Vol’s knee.
The concern is about a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee.
“Let’s talk about what this is and what it is not,” said Pelissero. “It’s not the ACL that he had reconstructed. My understanding is the ACL itself is fine. All the scans look good.
“The concern is about a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee. Some of the doctors that have seen his scans are concerned that he will need another surgery to replace that bone plug, which would be an extensive recovery.
“We know this, Ian — McCoy feels good. He certainly looked it. Ran really well at his Pro Day. In his mind, he is fully anticipating being ready to roll in the 2026 season. But you’ve got 32 team doctors, 32 degrees of risk tolerance. Everybody is looking at this — this is a top 10 talent who potentially may not go that high. May not even go in round one.”
Pelissero isn’t to blame for McCoy slipping out of the first round — the longtime reporter was simply reporting what teams are saying about McCoy’s knee.
But the report brought the situation to light and helps us understand why arguably the most talented cornerback in the draft fell out of the first round.
Jermod McCoy is proof of how cruel and unfair sports can be
After McCoy’s sophomore season in 2024, many draft analysts felt he would’ve been the top cornerback selected in the 2025 NFL Draft had he been eligible.
A solid junior season at Tennessee probably would’ve led to McCoy being a top five selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
But unfortunately for McCoy, he tore his ACL just a few weeks after Tennessee’s loss to Ohio State in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff.
McCoy missed the entire season due to the torn ACL. Entering the offseason, he was viewed as an elite talent with concerns about the ACL. The terrific Pro Day performance, however, seemingly alleviated those concerns.
The bone plug concerns, though, did serious damage to McCoy’s draft stock, essentially making him a big risk in the first round. And despite his obviously elite talent, no teams were comfortable taking that risk.
A lot of players destroy their draft stock with poor decisions or poor performance. That’s not the case with McCoy. He went from being the most coveted cornerback in the draft to not even being a first-round pick all because of an ACL injury that could happen to any athlete at any time. McCoy lost an opportunity that every young defensive back dreams of because of some bad luck.
The best McCoy can hope for now is that a team takes a chance on him on Day 2 of the draft and his knee stays healthy so he can earn a big payday in a few years.
The good news for McCoy is that he doesn’t turn 21 years old until August, so he has time on his side for now.