Raiders start last day of NFL draft by taking Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy in rainy Pittsburgh
Jermod McCoy's lengthy wait to hear his name called at the NFL draft came to a quick end on Saturday. The Las Vegas Raiders selected the Tennessee cornerback with the first pick of the fourth round, taking a small gamble that McCoy will return to form after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. McCoy had six interceptions in 25 games with the Volunteers and Oregon State, where he began his college career in 2023 before transferring to Tennessee.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jermod McCoy's lengthy wait to hear his name called at the NFL draft came to a quick end on Saturday. The Las Vegas Raiders selected the Tennessee cornerback with the first pick of the fourth round, taking a small gamble that McCoy will return to form after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. McCoy had six interceptions in 25 games with the Volunteers and Oregon State, where he began his college career in 2023 before transferring to Tennessee.
He injured the knee during offseason workouts in January 2025, not long after the Vols lost in the College Football Playoff. “I was prepared for whatever happened, but, I mean, I would’ve been excited to go higher, for sure, because, I mean, I had a good pro day, ran some good times and just did good things like that,” McCoy said. “But, I mean, I was prepared for whatever happened.
Because, I mean, it’s not in my control. ” The Raiders are hoping McCoy can help a defense that failed to generate takeaways with much consistency during a miserable 3-14 season in 2025. Las Vegas had just eight interceptions in 17 games last year, 25th in the 32-team league.
The pick also reunites McCoy — in a way at least — with top overall pick Fernando Mendoza. McCoy's first career collegiate interception came against Mendoza while McCoy was at Oregon State and Mendoza was playing at California. “It was probably one of the top moments in my life, my first college pick,” McCoy said.