Raiders Optimistic CB Jermod McCoy Can Play In 2026, Avoid Immediate Surgery

As the 2026 draft rolled along, one of the biggest storylines became cornerback Jermod McCoy’s continued slide down the board. That was not a surprising development; an obvious first-round talent, predraft reports indicated McCoy’s stock could be undermined by the long-term prognosis for his medically-repaired knee.

Eventually, the Raiders put an end to McCoy’s free fall by selecting the Oregon State and Tennessee product with the first pick of Round 4 (No. 101 overall). Naturally, Las Vegas did plenty of research on the knee, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes. Fowler says the club is optimistic about McCoy’s chances to suit up in 2026 and to avoid immediate surgery, even if he will need some sort of operation in the future.

But it was not McCoy’s short-term availability that gave teams pause. Despite missing the entirety of the 2025 slate due to an ACL tear, McCoy performed well at Tennessee’s pro day in March. He ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash, logged a 38-inch vertical jump, and registered a 10-foot, 7-inch broad jump. His ACL is reportedly a non-issue; the bigger concern is a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee, a plug that may need to be replaced down the road. Such a procedure could sideline McCoy for an entire season, and an unsuccessful surgery could end his career.

Fowler polled eight teams after Day 2 of the draft, and five of them said they had removed McCoy from their draft boards entirely. The Raiders clearly believed McCoy’s upside was worth a Day 3 gamble, and if his knee holds up, Las Vegas may have gotten a steal.

McCoy solidified his status as one of the most talented CBs in the country with a tremendous 2024 campaign in which he had more interceptions (four) than touchdowns allowed (two). He also limited opposing passers to a miniscule 53.6 passer rating, and his performance led to second-team All-American and second-team All-SEC honors.

The rebuilding Raiders also acquired Taron Johnson to bolster their secondary this offseason, although Johnson is ticketed for the slot. If healthy, McCoy will join Eric Stokes and Darien Porter as Vegas’ top boundary options.

In his report on McCoy, Fowler quoted a rival executive who said, “this felt like [general manager] John Spytek’s draft.” Given that Spytek’s first draft in the GM chair was heavily influenced by one-and-done head coach Pete Carroll, that is considered a positive development.