Why Jermod McCoy's surprising NFL Draft slide is continuing on Day 2

TL;DR

Jermod McCoy, once a top NFL Draft prospect, continues to slide into Day 2 without being selected. His ACL injury concerns are likely causing hesitation among teams.

Key points

Jermod McCoy was not selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
His slide continued into the second round with injury concerns.
Only two cornerbacks were drafted in the first round.

NFL Draft 2026Jermod McCoyTennesseeLSU

Jermod McCoy's wait to hear his name called in the 2026 NFL draft continued on Day 2.

In one of the biggest surprises of the draft's first two days, McCoy — who was widely viewed as a first-round prospect and was even getting some top-10 hype earlier in the process — was not selected in the first round on Thursday night. The former Tennessee cornerback's slide continued on Friday in the second round through the first 56 picks of the draft, as of publication.

Injury concerns for McCoy, who tore his ACL last January, are likely giving teams pause. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, there are questions about both the current status of his knee and his "longevity" in the league.

Just two corners, LSU's Mansoor Delane and San Diego State's Chris Johnson, were drafted in the first round. Four more were drafted ahead of McCoy in the second round, as of publication.

McCoy was a Second Team All-American for the Volunteers in 2024 after transferring in from Oregon State, but he did not appear in any games this past season as he recovered from the ACL tear. He did participate in Tennessee's pro day in March, in which he ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash.

While the questions about his knee are valid, someone is going to take a chance on a player with Round 1 upside on Day 2.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Jermod McCoy's NFL draft slide on Day 2, explained

Q&A

Why did Jermod McCoy slide in the NFL Draft?

Jermod McCoy's slide in the NFL Draft is primarily due to concerns about his ACL injury and questions regarding his knee's current status and longevity in the league.

Which cornerbacks were drafted before Jermod McCoy?

Before Jermod McCoy, only two cornerbacks, Mansoor Delane from LSU and Chris Johnson from San Diego State, were drafted in the first round, with four more selected ahead of him in the second round.

What was Jermod McCoy's draft projection before the NFL Draft?

Jermod McCoy was widely viewed as a first-round prospect and even received top-10 hype earlier in the draft process.