With free agency winding down, Jerry Jones appears poised to lean heavily on the NFL Draft to find the Dallas Cowboys’ next defensive cornerstone.
One name gaining traction is Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, who is coming off a torn ACL that wiped out his 2025 season. He was present at the NFL Combine but did not participate in on-field drills. While McCoy’s talent isn’t in question, the Cowboys have to think twice if they’re looking for a player who can contribute in Week 1.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleJoseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News joined 105.3 The Fan with fellow Cowboys insider Bryan Broaddus and explained why the Cowboys should approach McCoy with caution, noting the team needs immediate contributors while McCoy still carries significant injury uncertainty.
"I understand the hesitation from the Cowboys. I don't think they want redshirt players. I don't think they want to use a top 12 pick on a guy that plays six games next year. I think that they need instant impact guys, and they need to be fully comfortable with a guy like McCoy that he could do it."
The Dallas Cowboys may need to take Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy off their draft board
The bad news? Jones could still take a swing on McCoy as a fallback option. With LSU star cornerback Mansoor Delane boosting his stock after an impressive 40-yard dash, he may not be available at No. 12.
That would be a desperate move by Jones just to address cornerback. The need is real, but not enough to justify reaching for a player who may not be available for a full season, and may have long-term questions about his availability.
The Cowboys have already seen how this can go with Shavon Revel Jr. The East Carolina product returned late in the season from a torn ACL, but his rookie struggles made it clear he wasn’t fully ready. The talent is there, but the fundamentals and timing weren’t.
The 2026 season is absolutely massive for Dallas. While they were content letting Revel get fully healthy before, they do not have that luxury this time around.
There’s no questioning McCoy’s talent. He earned All-SEC honors in 2024 with 44 tackles and four interceptions while helping lead Tennessee to the College Football Playoff. But that production came before the injury, and projecting it forward now comes with real uncertainty.
The Cowboys may love McCoy's film, but there's too much riding on 2026 and '27 to risk drafting an injured player. Even if McCoy looks healthy at his Pro Day, he might be someone Dallas doesn't even consider taking if he's available on draft night.