The Las Vegas Raiders started off day three with a bang. They traded up one spot to take one of the most surprising fallers in the NFL Draft. A player many considered the best cornerback in the draft, the Silver and Black took Jermod McCoy with the first pick of the fourth round.
McCoy missed all of 2025 with a knee injury but was able to put up a 4.3 forty-yard dash during his Pro Day. However, teams were afraid of an issue with his knee that could lead to another surgery. This caused him to fall
all the way to pick 101, and the Raiders might have the best value pick of the draft.
It was a difficult two days for McCoy, having to watch a cornerback go off the board without hearing his name called. During his first chance to speak to the media, he talked about how tough the process had been for him before Saturday.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s definitely difficult for me, but I know God has a plan for me. [Inaudible].”
‘I was prepared for whatever happened, but I mean, I would’ve been excited to go higher,
for sure, because, I mean, I had a good Pro Day, ran some good times, and just did good things like that.
But, I mean, I was prepared for whatever happened. Because, I mean, it’s not in my control, and I’m just
truly blessed that the team took me anyway, because it’s an achievement to get here in the first place.”
Hopefully, McCoy can stay healthy and not need another surgery on the knee during his career. Albert Breer reported that McCoy will be able to suit up for the Raiders in 2026; it’s just a matter of his not aggravating the knee. If he can stay on the field, he could rebuild a Raiders secondary that has been inconsistent.
In other Raiders links:
- TDL live draft recap instant reaction show: Check out the TDL crew with a new draft recap going over the Raiders picks for the 2026 NFL draft.
- Introducing the Raiders’ 2026 Draft Class: Get to know the brand new 2026 Raiders draft class.
- ‘Tokyo Toe,’ former Fernando Mendoza teammates, highlight Raiders’ early UDFA class: Check out the early signees of the Raiders UDFA class for 2026.
