The Las Vegas Raiders ended up being the team that went and got one of the best cornerbacks in the entire draft in Jermod McCoy.
The Las Vegas Raiders started off Day 3 with a trade up to get former Tennessee
cornerback Jermod McCoy. They have gone mainly defense so far, with three of the five picks they have made being on that side of the ball. McCoy did not play last season due to an injury, but his 2024 tape is as good as it gets.
McCoy is almost 6’1, and 190 pounds
. He has 31″ arms and is blazing fast. His Pro Day workouts at Tennessee not too long ago surprised everyone, as he looked like he could go out and play today. He ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. The Raiders are getting a player with first-round talent in the fourth round. But there’s a catch, just like there always is.
Every team did extensive homework going into Day 3 of the draft. Everyone wants what McCoy can be at his best. But no one really wanted to touch him due to a degenerative knee issue
. It’s not the ACL that we all thought it was. McCoy has what’s been described as a bad bone plug that needs to be replaced again, and it’s reportedly a very risky procedure. Some think he may never get a second NFL contract because of the injury.
The Raiders did their homework, reached out to everyone they could, likely talked to their team doctor, and are fine with the risk. Not to mention, this is a fourth-round pick we are talking about. If it hits, then you look like an absolute genius. If it doesn’t hit, then it’s just another fourth-rounder who didn’t hit, which happens all the time. At least you can’t say Spytek didn’t try to get an elite football player, and at least it wasn’t No. 7 overall.
Tennessee Volunteers cornerback Jermod McCoy is one of the more ambitious selections of the 2026 NFL Draft. If you are confident he’s going to return to form as the player we all saw in 2024, you’re getting a bona fide CB1 and a potential game changer. But we haven’t seen McCoy in pads since a January 2025 knee injury, one that cost him his entire 2025 season and left him lagging in his pre-draft workout. When healthy, McCoy is long, explosive, fluid, and illustrates a graceful blend of ball skills and physicality at the catch point. He should have little issue playing in either press or off-coverage as he continues to develop his craft. But he’s young and now under-repped after missing all of 2025 - meaning you’re taking a bit of a swing for the fences by drafting him early. If McCoy isn’t back to form or doesn’t stay healthy, he could risk losing further valuable time on task. This is an ambitious bet either way.
Kyle Crabbs
A to Z Sports Draft Team
The Las Vegas Raiders needed another cornerback, especially if Darien Porter doesn’t turn into what they think he will.
In that regard, they’re addressing a need. They got a first-round talent in the fourth round. Those two things alone would make this pick an A+. However, the knee issue is very scary. That alone drops this down to a B for me.
GRADE:B
