Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy was not picked in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, apparently because of questions over his injured knee.
McCoy was projected as a first round pick and possibly the first cornerback taken. But the first round came and went, and the UT star didn’t hear his name called.
McCoy was the best available player, according to ESPN.com, when Day 1 wrapped up. But ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood, who was also not picked in the first round, is a "red-hot" option in the second round.
The draft will resume on April 24 with Rounds 2-3 from starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network.
The fact that McCoy didn't play for the Vols in the 2025 season due to a torn ACL appears to be the major factor for his fall.
Two cornerbacks were drafted in the first round while McCoy remained on the board. The Kansas City Chiefs selected LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane with the sixth pick. The Miami Dolphins took San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson with the 27th pick.
After Delane was picked, Kiper said concerns over McCoy’s knee injury had reshuffled prospects at his position.
"I think (drafting Delane with the sixth pick) is a bit of a reach, but I guess with Jermod McCoy and that lingering knee injury, (Delane) became the guy at corner that you got to get because there's really right now no lock corner because of McCoy's injury," Kiper said. "That made Mansoor Delane much more valuable at the top of the draft with McCoy falling back just a bit."
McCoy was a 2024 All-American. But he tore his ACL during a training session in January 2025 at his home in Texas, and he has not played in a game since the 2024 season. He did light individual work at a UT practice in early August, but he never played for the Vols again.
At Tennessee’s pro day, McCoy ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds, which would've tied for the second-fastest time among cornerbacks at the NFL scouting combine. It appeared to be a good sign, but questions still lingered.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Jermod McCoy knee injury keeps Tennessee CB out of 2026 NFL Draft first round