Medical Red Flag Reportedly Popping Up For Potential Bengals 2026 First-Round Pick

The Bengals may have a red flag popping up for one of the very possible options at No. 10 in the 2026 NFL Draft. Essentially Sports' Tony Pauline reported NFL sources have revealed to him multiple teams' fears that Jermod McCoy has a degenerative knee coming into the NFL.

McCoy did not play for the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL in his right knee that occurred in January 2025 during offseason training. It sidelined him for the entire 2025 season.

According to the Mock Draft Database's consensus big board, McCoy is ranked 14th overall and second among cornerbacks behind LSU's Mansoor Delane.

Multiple Teams Concerned

Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) warms up during a Tennessee football practice, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Over the past two days, multiple sources have told me that several teams have red-flagged the combine medicals of Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy, who did not play last season after sustaining a knee injury in January of 2025," Pauline wrote. "The information received additional confirmation after others were asked.

"I’m told that red flags were raised after teams deemed McCoy’s knee to be a degenerative condition. Medical opinions differ team by team; some could fail McCoy based on his medicals, which means they would take him off their board completely, while others could flag him, meaning he would be assessed a penalty of a half-round to a full round on his grade. Some other teams may look at his medicals and be okay with McCoy’s knee. We really won’t know until draft weekend."

Who knows how much weight needs to be given to this revelation. It could be something, or it could be nothing, as the Bengals weigh the biggest factors for their top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

As of this writing, the Mock Draft Database McCoy has been slotted to Cincinnati in six major mock drafts over the past week. That number ranks fourth behind Caleb Downs (24), Mansoor Delane (11), and Rueben Bain Jr. (10).

Anything happening around McCoy's health is something to monitor as we sit one week away from all the draft festivities starting across the NFL.

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