Jermod McCoy's talents, injury history highlight the difficulty of NFL draft scouting

Cornerback remains one of the most difficult positions to play in the NFL due to the athleticism of offensive weapons. Add in modern offensive design with the increased penalizing of coverage, and there's suddenly a high bar to clear. Modern NFL cornerbacks must have the speed, length, and football instincts to man up with the best receivers in football. NFL offensive coordinators know where the coverage weaknesses are, and will attack them repetitively.

McCoy has the speed and size to create positive matchups for a defense. However, he’s coming back from an ACL injury that sidelined him for all of 2025. He’ll need to be ready for the summer so his development curve can begin.

Man Coverage

Nov 9, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) takes down Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Mario Craver (7) during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Caitie McMekin/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Caitie McMekin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In man coverage this is a player with the capability to match any and all athlete types. He’s strong, has solid change of direction skills, and possesses the requisite long speed. That long speed combined with a good downhill trigger creates some impressive range plays. McCoy is excellent when keeping the game in front of him.

His development will occur mostly at the catchpoint. At times, McCoy has trouble finding the ball and playing through the hands. This is especially apparent in jump ball situations. Often he’d make up for this by using his body and physicality to play with leverage. A quarterback capable of high quality ball placement will take advantage of this downfield.

He’s a super physical corner. In past seasons this would be an automatic positive, but the NFL is changing. The league has moved away from more physical coverage techniques in recent seasons due to the emphasis of illegal contact and pass interference. McCoy will need to approach the professional game a bit differently.

Zone Coverage

Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) carries a deflated gator after defeating Florida during a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Florida in Neyland Stadium, in Knoxville, Tenn., Oct. 12, 2024. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Because of his downhill trigger and ability to read through the quarterback, I’m bullish on McCoy’s skill set in zone. He has the backpedal and turn speed to consistently put a cap on explosive passing offenses. Overall, his awareness is excellent. He simplifies the game in terms of playing shallow or deep.

Rarely in zone does McCoy allow anything to get behind him. Often he is capable of triggering quickly downhill to make tackles in space. He is a willing tackler with a mean streak. It wouldn’t shock me if McCoy can add physicality as a nickel player in certain packages. He has the body type and athleticism to add as a blitzer.

Projection

The lack of high end talent in this draft makes McCoy more intriguing. He’s best in zone situations to start off, but wouldn’t be completely out of his depth in man. Best case scenario, McCoy ends up in a defense with the opportunity to round out his game. With the injury he sustained and these few needed tweaks, there isn’t a guarantee he starts immediately. Overall, the ceiling is one of a shutdown cornerback if fully realized.