Jermod McCoy is the Physical Solution to Chris O'Leary's Press Man Blueprint

The NFL draft fall for Jermod McCoy should end with a Chargers team that has many picks and a big need.

Jermod McCoy | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers should be the team to take the big injury red flag gamble on Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy during the NFL draft. 

McCoy, widely viewed as a high-end, first-round talent, fell out of the first three rounds of the draft due to concerns around his injury history and how it might impact his career. 

After a torn ACL at the end of 2024, McCoy missed all of 2025. According to NFL Media, repairs to a cartilage defect could lead to additional surgeries and require “extensive” recovery. 

And yet, here are the Chargers with a need at cornerback and armed with seven picks on Day 3 of the NFL draft after two trades down the board. 

The Chargers rolling the proverbial dice on McCoy would be a no-brainer met with plenty of praise and perhaps long-term rewards on the field.

NFL draft fall for Jermod McCoy should end with Chargers

Jermod McCoy | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

McCoy might have been a top 10 pick were it not for the injury woes. 

Really, now that the NFL draft has hit Round 4 and beyond, that could end the conversation right there when it comes to the Chargers throwing a single pick of many at him. 

So much so, we broke down why the Chargers should have considered McCoy much earlier in the draft. 

McCoy was the 17th overall player on Pro Football Focus’ big board, after all, with “shutdown potential in press-man coverage.” And when on the field before injury, he had an 89.6 coverage grade from PFF.

Take it a step further. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has McCoy as one of the best players in the class and, of note, thinks his skillset is almost crafted to bounce back quickly from these injuries. 

“More focused, physical press disruption should make the rep easier to control. He’s opportunistic with strong ball skills at the catch point,” Zierlein wrote. “His route squeeze and zone awareness should improve with more reps. We should expect McCoy’s athletic traits and instincts to help him make up for lost time once he gets into camp.”

That has Chargers written all over it. 

Chris O’Leary is back from the college ranks to take over for Jesse Minter and has stressed a continuity theme since his return. 

The Chargers’ scheme loves big-bodied press corners, with both Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart checking it at 6’0” and up. Donte Jackson, added in free agency one year ago, isn’t far off, either. 

McCoy is a long-term solution there that simply fits. Hart and Still were later-round picks who have panned out well. But competition and depth are key. They’ll need more flexibility across the cornerback depth chart if and when Derwin James leaves and frees up that nickel spot (he’s a contract extension candidate this summer, though). Jackson is now at the dreaded age of 30, too. 

Again, the Chargers have seven draft picks starting from Round. Three of those are in the fourth round: 

• 105
• 123
• 131

There are other needs. More offensive line help. An interior pass-rusher. Whatever Mike McDaniel might want to add for his offense. 

But general manager Joe Hortiz went out of his way during his pre-draft presser to note that, along with linemen, cornerbacks will be available. 

“There's going to be linemen there available,” Hortiz said. “And there's going to be corners there available and there's going to be defensive linemen there available and there's going to be inside back-- it's a good draft."

Translated: The Chargers view cornerback as something to attack on Day 3. 

Using one of those fourth-round picks on McCoy, a long-term option and borderline top-10 prospect, would be a smooth move. 

What better way to help a first-time coordinator like McCoy keep things going than to gift him a possible top-10 prospect at a premium position that already has two proven long-term options with Still and Hart? 

Not many, and it fits with Hortiz’s value-minded ways. What’s the worst-case scenario? McCoy doesn’t play in 2026, negating one of nine picks in this class? 

It’s a worthwhile risk, all things considered, and the Chargers running up to the podium to use an extra pick on McCoy wouldn’t be much of a shocker at this point.

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