The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh this week, in a city where the Bucs could select the next star they add to their roster in hopes of righting the proverbial ship. In the final days and moments ahead of the selections starting on Thursday, there are still plenty of mock drafts to sort through.

ESPN's Jordan Reid recently released the latest 2026 NFL mock draft of the cycle, which has the team going in the defensive direction with a pick we have not yet seen. The pick goes in the way of Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy as he continues to work back into the fold.

Reid explains the McCoy pick, writing, "Tampa Bay has major question marks in its cornerbacks room. Jamel Dean signed with the Steelers this offseason, Zyon McCollum didn't play to his potential after signing a long-term extension, and Benjamin Morrison was highly inconsistent as a rookie. So, adding McCoy makes sense, especially with GM Jason Licht's penchant for taking the best player available even if it doesn't seem like the team's biggest need on the surface (see: Emeka Egbuka last year). McCoy missed last season with a torn ACL but has shown true shutdown ability when healthy."

McCoy is rumored to be all over the place in terms of his rehab from a torn ACL in January of 2025. If he is not in the shape that some people believe, then he will not hear his name in Round 1. This makes this a very interesting pick for the Bucs, considering how often they find themselves dealing with injuries.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: NFL Mock Draft: Bucs land injured Jermod McCoy with first pick