From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy.

No. 3 Jermod McCoy/CB Tennessee – 6’0 193 pounds (Junior)
MEASUREMENTS

Player
Ht/Wt
Hand Size
Arm Length
Wingspan

Jermod McCoy
6’0/193
N/A
N/A
N/A

40-Yard Dash
10-Yard Dash
Short Shuttle
3-Cone

N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

Broad Jump
Vertical
Bench Press

N/A
N/A
N/A

The Good

– Well-built and looks the part with a muscular frame
– Impressive man coverage corner with physical tools to stick with anyone
– Comfortable being physical off the line of scrimmage and disrupts releases
– Shows speed to carry routes vertically
– Good recovery speed and ability when beaten
– Displays great transition out of his pedal to break down and get downhill, impressive click/close
– Excellent closing speed and length to help disrupt catch point
– Loose hips and fluidly changes directions
– Willing tackler who shows hit power over the middle
– Experience playing field and boundary side with occasional slot/blitz work
– Good eyes in zone/match zone
– Asked to play a variety of coverages: press, off-man, and zone
– Regarded as high character person
– Good career production, including ball production
– Minor punt return value

The Bad

– Must be more consistent in finding the ball in the air against man coverage
– Shows trouble playing catch point on the way down
– Inconsistent tackler who doesn’t always show proper technique, will throw shoulders, go low, and tends to fall off
– Can get stuck on stalk blocks and must disengage quicker and more consistently
– Prone to getting beaten inside against initial outside releases and stems
– Must show more consistent punch and connect off the line
– Serious medical concerns that must be vetted
– Limited starting/playing experience
– Needs to cut down on penalties

Stats

– 18 career starts in two years of college football
– Career: 75 tackles (1 TFL), 16 PDs and 6 INTs
– 2024: 44 tackles (0.5 TFL), 9 PDs and 4 INTs
– Career: 979 outside snaps, 34 slot reps
– Primarily left corner in 2024 (576 to 36 left/right snaps) but more balanced in 2023 (204 RCB, 163 LCB)
– Returned six punts for 59 yards in 2024
– Eight career penalties (all in 2024)
– Eighth-highest PFF coverage grade of all corners (min 50 percent snaps) in 2024

Injury History

– Tore ACL in January of 2025 (unclear which knee) during offseason workout, required surgery and ultimately missed entire season
– Returned to practice in early August 2025, but never received full medical clearance to play
– Suffered a third-quarter back injury after hit from an o-lineman against Alabama in 2024, quickly returned, but did not finish the game

Background

– Turns 21 in August 2026
– Three-star recruit from Whitehouse, Texas, attending same high school as Patrick Mahomes
– Had offers from Army, Air Force, Oregon State, Tulane, Penn, Columbia, UL-Monroe, and several FCS schools; initially committed to Tulane as receiver but flipped to Oregon State to play cornerback on advice of family that defense was his “ticket” over offense
– Transferred from Oregon State to Tennessee for 2024 season; chose Vols over Texas AM, Auburn, Oregon, and other power schools, citing coaching staff and environment that felt similar to his hometown
– Chose to transfer after head coach Jonathan Smith took Michigan State job, coupled with the demise of the Pac-12
– Primarily played WR in high school but saw action at CB, caught 57 passes for 784 yards and 8 TDs while picking off two passes and serving as kick/punt returner
– Also lettered in baseball (centerfielder/utility player, named 1st team All-District) and track (won state titles in long and triple jump, setting personal record in latter) during high school
– Models game after Jalen Ramsey
– High school coach summed him up as “competitor,” while Tennessee DBs coach praised his positive attitude, saying he “sees the glass half full”
– Isn’t regarded as a trash talker on the field
– 3.81 high school GPA
– Cousin of current Carolina Panthers LB Trevis Gipson

Tape Breakdown

On paper, Whitehouse’s Jermod McCoy has all the tools. Size. Speed. Physicality. The right mindset. It makes him one of the most talented cornerbacks of the 2026 NFL Draft. At his best, he looks like a future lockdown player.

His athleticism sticks out. Not just speed, of which there’s plenty, but his fluidity. McCoy can change direction without a hitch or stiffness, allowing him to close from off coverage.

He’s a sticky man cover corner who uses his physicality to bump receivers off the line and disrupt routes vertically.

While his tackling isn’t always consistent, there’s a want-to there. In this first clip, check out the hit power over the middle. In the other two, he makes a pair of open field stops, the latter coming on 4th and 1.

Negatively, he battled Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith hard in 2024 but took his lumps. He gave up one touchdown and was flagged another time in the end zone.

McCoy must work on playing through the receiver’s hands in man coverage while also showing a more consistent ability to locate the ball in the air. There were missed chances. McCoy also missed a handful of tacklers. He must wrap up more often to avoid falling off. In coverage, he is also most prone to getting beaten inside.

Of course, his injury history is the biggest flag scouts and teams must evaluate. McCoy tore his ACL in January 2025, and though he was back on the practice field by August 8, he never played a down. There was some level of mystery over his status throughout the season as he inched towards a return, but was never cleared. Was there a calculated risk of not returning too soon, assuming he knew of his plans to declare this season?

The injury gives McCoy limited experience. He hardly played defensive back in high school and was healthy for just two years in college. Effectively, he has about 20 games at the position since high school. That’s a limited profile that creates additional uncertainty and, by extension, risk. It’s impressive how technically sound he is for such little time working his craft, all while he was a teenager, but he’s still a projection of sorts.

Conclusion

Jermod McCoy isn’t short on talent. Experience and, potentially, a clean bill of health are the only things he lacks. His medicals will be key throughout this process, and seeing him work out at the Combine and at his Pro Day will offer better proof he’s healthy and ready for OTAs.

On the field, McCoy checks many boxes. He can play man, zone, and he does enough as a tackler. His skillset makes him scheme versatile but a Cover 1/Cover 3-based defense would utilize him best. The upside is high, but there’s some risk as well. McCoy is a little bigger, but my NFL comp is Denzel Ward. 

NFL Projection: Mid-Late First Round
Steelers Depot Grade: 8.7MED (Long-Term Starter)
Grade Range: 7.7-9.2
Games Watched: vs NC State (2024), at Arkansas (2024), vs Florida (2024), vs Alabama (2024), at Ohio State (2024)