The Dallas Cowboys are expected to completely revamp their secondary this offseason, which should come as no surprise to anyone who watched their defense in 2025.
Cornerback is a position that could use multiple new starters, especially with Daron Bland undergoing yet another foot surgery.
The good news for Dallas is that the 2026 NFL Draft does have a lot of talent at the cornerback position. And arguably the top cornerback in the class is Jermod McCoy, who did not play a single snap of football during the 2025 season. Yet, there is a good chance that he is the first cornerback off the board in April. So, without further ado, here is our scoring report on the former SEC star:
Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Height: 5016
Weight: 193 pounds
Expected 40 Yard Dash Time: 4.46-4.50
Recruiting: 3-star recruit, No. 91 ranked CB prospect, No. 1,455 nationally
College Production: 25 games, 6 INTs, 16 pass deflections, 1 TFL
Positives:
- Very good instincts and ball skills. Former high school wide receiver and it shows when the ball is in the air.
- Has enough speed to match NFL wideouts down the field, especially on go-routes.
- Despite not being overly tall, he has long arms and a great wingspan. And he knows how to use length on back shoulder fades, etc.
- Excellent tackler for his size. Uses length to bring down ball carriers and has a willingness to tackle.
- Smooth athlete who can click-and-close better than anyone else in the class.
- Very young player (20). Won’t be 21 until after the NFL Draft. Best football is still ahead of him.
McCoy is a silky smooth athlete with fantastic ball skills. That sentence alone is enough for a cornerback to be drafted early in Round 1. But the fact that he is so young and is a willing tackler makes him one of the most intriguing prospects in the class.
He can fit any scheme, and with his long arms (32”), he will fit the preferred length thresholds for the Cowboys. There is some risk here, but McCoy has the talent to be a top-10 cornerback in the league down the road.
Negatives:
- Does tend to get a bit grabby at the top of routes, which could lead to excessive penalties in the NFL.
- Struggled against bigger receivers during the 2024 season.
- Not the most technically sound cornerback. Really needs to work on his hand usage at the line of scrimmage.
- There are times when he is late to turn his head toward the ball on go-routes and fades.
- Tore ACL and did not play a snap during 2025 season. Very limited experience.
There is a lot of upside with McCoy, but the fact that he is inexperienced and is coming off a major injury could impact his draft status. He’s got all of the physical traits to be a star in the NFL, but for teams searching for Day 1 impact starters at cornerback, he might not be a great fit.
Jermod McCoy NFL Player Comparison: Tyson Campbell, CB, Cleveland Browns
There aren’t many cornerbacks in the NFL who have elite ball skills and are willing to tackle, but that’s why the Campbell comparison makes sense. McCoy has a much higher ceiling than Campbell, especially as a pure cover cornerback. But this is a realistic comparison for a cornerback as raw and inexperienced as McCoy is entering the NFL.
Jermod McCoy Fit With Dallas Cowboys:
It’s not hard to imagine the fit for McCoy in Dallas. He would be a Day 1 starter on the outside with Daron Bland likely playing in the slot and on the outside. He would give Dallas another man-to-man cornerback with exceptional ball skills.
The biggest issue is that he is another cornerback with major injury concerns, and considering that Bland is recovering from his second foot injury and Shavon Revel’s injury history, that might be too big a risk for this franchise to take.
Jermod McCoy NFL Draft Grade: Top-20 Selection
There is no doubt that McCoy has the physical talent to be a top-10 pick. And if he were fully healthy, that’s where he would land.
But the fact that he’s only played 25 games in college and did not play a single snap in 2025 is a bit of a concern. Most teams don’t like taking injured players high, especially not at a position like cornerback where athleticism is the name of the game.
McCoy will still get drafted high in the first round, but he’s far from a clean prospect. Expect him to be drafted somewhere in the teens and for his new team to show excessive patience, as he could wind up being the best defensive player from this class in due time.