There are many names to know for the 2026 NFL Draft, but the endless list of players can be narrowed down to those who have a fitting skillset for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy could be on that short list. Let’s take a closer look at a player who shares a hometown with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Whitehouse, Texas.
Background
McCoy was not a sought-after recruit out of Whitehouse High School. He was only a three-star recruit according to 247sports, and Oregon State was his
most significant offer.
He went to Corvallis, Oregon, and had an impressive true freshman season, starting every game.
After the Pac-12 dissolved, McCoy entered the transfer portal. This time, McCoy had suitors from major schools like Oregon, Texas A&M, Washington, and Texas Tech. He decided to transfer to Tennessee. McCoy was a second-team All-American and a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe award. After his sophomore season, McCoy had serious top-5 buzz.
Unfortunately for McCoy, he tore his ACL in January. During the season, there was talk about McCoy coming back, but he never played. It is worth noting that Tennessee wasn’t a contender for the College Football Playoff.
McCoy didn’t work out at the NFL Scouting Combine, but we did get athletic numbers on him from the Tennessee Pro Day. His size of 6 feet tall and 188 pounds with 31 1/4-inch arms isn’t his strongest characteristic, but his athleticism was fantastic. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds with a 1.52-second 10-yard split. He recorded 38 inches in the vertical leap and 10 feet 7 inches in the broad jump. McCoy quieted concerns that he lost athleticism after the injury.
Strengths
McCoy is scheme versatile, but works well playing from a press technique. He can use his strength to jam a receiver at the line of scrimmage and force them to the sideline. In 2024 against Alabama, McCoy was consistently pushing receivers out of bounds by winning at the line of scrimmage and using his strength to shove them out.
He also has the footspeed to mirror a receiver at the line of scrimmage. His hip fluidity allows him to open his hips and change directions based on the release. McCoy will vary between the two, making it hard for receivers to get the right release against him. McCoy has the speed to trail crossers across the field and not lose ground.
McCoy will use one hand to jam instead of two. A two-hand jam can work, but it makes it hard to open your hips and run. McCoy understands routes and hand placement enough to get a jam with one hand.
McCoy can also work in an off-man scheme. McCoy will sit at a good depth and read the route path of the receiver. If a receiver runs a short route, McCoy is explosive enough to click-and-close to make a tackle on the ball. He doesn’t allow receivers to run past him from this position either, and he can defend deep downfield.
One of McCoy’s most impressive attributes is his strength. He doesn’t appear to be big, but he plays big. When receivers meet him at the top of the route and try to cut inside, McCoy can absorb contact from the receiver and stunt their route entirely. This doesn’t allow bigger receivers to box him out inside. McCoy can then recover and stay in a trail to make a play on the ball.
Where McCoy needs to improve
Based on McCoy’s 2024 tape, there isn’t too much he needs to improve on.
The only note was that McCoy could stand to have more experience playing in zone coverage. He’s not bad, it’s just a bit inconsistent. McCoy is smart enough to understand zone coverages, but I think he will need some work there as he develops.
He’s still a pretty inexperienced player, all things considered.
How McCoy fits with the Chiefs
McCoy is an excellent fit with the Chiefs’ defense. If he’s healthy, he can step onto the field and immediately play man coverage as a rookie.
McCoy isn’t quite as big or long as some of the outside cornerbacks the Chiefs have had in recent years, but I don’t think that would be a concern for the Chiefs. McCoy is plenty big and strong enough to play physically. He also has a speed and fluidity that only Trent McDuffie could’ve matched in recent years.
The Bottom Line
McCoy’s draft range is wide. If McCoy had been able to replicate his 2024 season in 2025, he would’ve been one of the top picks, but the knee injury is affecting his draft stock.
The Chiefs’ front office will have to sort out whether it believes McCoy’s knee is fine. If it passes the team’s medical examination, he will be on the shortlist of candidates at pick No. 9
I’m not enthusiastic about the Chiefs taking a cornerback at nine. While the defense has a massive need at cornerback, it also has needs at defensive end, and the offense needs a pass catcher. Those positions have been weaknesses for seasons and hold more long-term value for Kansas City.
The Chiefs have shown a reluctance to pay second contracts to cornerbacks. The Chiefs should use this pick to get a long-term pillar for the next core. If the organization will only have McCoy for one contract, the pick is less valuable.
However, the top defensive ends and wide receivers could be gone by the ninth-overall selection. If that’s the case, McCoy would be on a shortlist with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs or LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane as the best players on the board. Any of those three would be a good consolation prize.
I would consider Delane a safer prospect, but McCoy has a higher ceiling to me. If his knee checks out, then I would take him as the first cornerback in the draft.
