Jermod McCoy ACL tear, explained: How knee injury caused Tennessee CB's draft stock to decline
One of the most talented players in the 2026 NFL Draft is also one of the biggest questions.
Jermod McCoy ACL tear, explained: How knee injury caused Tennessee CB's draft stock to decline originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Can you spend a top-15 NFL Draft pick on a player who hasn't played a game in more than 15 months?
That's the question a few teams will have to ask themselves on Thursday when talented CB Jermod McCoy is available. As far as talent goes, there is a strong case to be made that no cornerback in the 2026 draft has more than McCoy. He looked every bit like a first-round pick and potential top-10 selection at Tennessee in 2024, only for a torn ACL to wipe out his entire 2025 season.
The draft is about potential, and McCoy certainly has more than most players in his class. The question, then, is how much teams MORE 2026 NFL DRAFT: Complete 7-round mock draft Trade predictions for the first round Where will each quarterback go in 2026 draft? Jermod McCoy ACL tear, explained McCoy suffered a torn ACL during an offseason workout less than a month after the end of the 2024 season.
Despite initial reports that he could return in time for the 2025 season, McCoy didn't play another game for Tennessee. The injury has since fully healed, and McCoy was able to run an impressive sub-4. 4 40-yard dash at the Volunteers' pro day.