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Jermod McCoy believes he is the cornerback in the 2026 draft class. After dropping to the fourth round, he’s starting his NFL career with a chip on his shoulder.
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McCoy was projected as a first-round pick back in March. He was even considered a top-two player at his position by Field Yates. But injuries tanked his draft stock.
McCoy’s Missed Season
McCoy didn’t play football at all in the 2025 season. An ACL injury meant he missed the entirety of Tennessee’s season. However, he recovered from that injury and showed enough promise to be a high draft pick.
But that wasn’t the end of McCoy’s injury saga. Tom Pelissero reported that NFL teams were concerned with McCoy’s knee, but not because of his ACL recovery. Instead, it was “a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee,” leading some NFL doctors to conclude he will need another knee surgery.
Even the Raiders ended up passing on McCoy four times before selecting him in the fourth round.
McCoy’s Motivation
Earlier this week, McCoy said he was looking forward to Thursday’s preseason opener against the Cardinals, as it will be his first time playing in a game since Dec. 21, 2024. But he is also looking forward to showing why he shouldn’t have slipped to the fourth round.
“That’s something that will be with me forever,” McCoy said to reporters. “I will just always remember it. It’s going to keep fueling me to push forward.”
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McCoy also never questioned if he would be able to play this season.
“I don’t really doubt myself. If I put my mind to something I feel like I can always do it,” McCoy said.
Raiders Depth Chart
For now, McCoy is listed as a third-stringer on the Raiders depth chart behind Eric Stokes and Decamerion Richardson.
Las Vegas seems fine with McCoy coming along slowly. He was limited early on in camp, as he recovers from knee surgery. While he has gotten some first-team snaps, he has mostly been with the second- and third-string defense.
The Raiders don’t need McCoy to be good now. He is a piece for the future, a fourth-round gamble on talent.
If McCoy is able to stay healthy and perform like a first-round pick, the Raiders will have landed a star on the third day of the draft.
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This story was originally published August 12, 2026 at 4:30 AM.