Former Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy at the NFL Combine. Photo via @Vol_Football on X.
A new potential suitor has emerged for the services of former Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy when the NFL Draft rolls around in the spring. The new team in the running comes after a fairly big trade was made on Wednesday.
According to The Athletic, the Los Angeles Rams have traded a draft haul that includes the No. 29 overall pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. The Rams, who still have a pick at No. 13 overall, were one of the teams that were originally tagged as a potential landing spot for McCoy.
The Rams could still be in play for McCoy at No. 13, but an on-field workout absence during the NFL Combine last week has dropped his stock to late in the first round. The trade now opens up the possibility for Kansas City to grab McCoy with the Chiefs in the market for a new cornerback on the roster.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid has the Chiefs selecting McCoy with the traded No. 29 pick in his latest mock draft this week. He originally had McCoy going to the Rams in the same spot, but now feels like the Chiefs might end up drafting the same player instead.
“With Trent McDuffie now traded to the Rams and Jaylen Watson entering free agency, the Chiefs have a glaring hole at corner,” Reid writes. “If we’re going strictly by talent, McCoy is a top-10 prospect in this class. But he hasn’t played a game since 2024, missing all of last season after suffering an ACL tear in January 2025. We’re still not sure where he’s at in his recovery, as he did not participate in testing or drills at the combine. But McCoy is an easy mover who has squeaky-clean technique.”
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McCoy stayed away from the on-field portion of the NFL Combine last week, but does plan on being a participant at Tennessee’s Pro Day event coming up at the end of the month. It’ll be the first time he’s been publicly seen since the end of the Vols’ 2024 season, and all eyes will be on him to determine his spot in the first round.
With a strong showing, he could easily slide back up and into the top half of the first round. Experts rave about McCoy’s talent, but there’s extremely clear hesitation about his health and whether he’ll be truly ready to roll for his rookie season. McCoy was typically in the 10-15 draft range before the combine, but has slid to the back of the first round since not participating in Indianapolis.
The Dallas Cowboys have been another team linked to McCoy before the combine process, considering their needs in the secondary and two first-round picks as well. But coming out of the combine, reporters around the Cowboys have suggested that Dallas is not a likely landing spot because of the team’s need for a player to compete right away. Perhaps McCoy can still do that for a team next season, but he’ll need to prove it during the Pro Day for owners and managers to feel comfortable.
Reid’s post-combine NFL mock draft also tagged Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 32 and Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell to the Buffalo Bills at pick No. 60.