Cowboys Can't Afford Jermod McCoy Gamble After Latest Injury Update

The Dallas Cowboys spent the early wave of NFL free agency working to rebuild their secondary. Dallas signed the likes of Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant, and P.J. Locke, which helps make up for the departure of former All-Pro Trevon Diggs before the regular season finale.

Diggs had been dealing with nagging knee injuries and the team had the worst pass defense in the league, so it was time to part ways.

That left Dallas thin in the defensive backfield, so the team is bringing in reinforcements during the offseason for new defensive coordinator and defensive back guru Christian Parker.

One player the team has been heavily linked to in the 2026 NFL Draft class has been Tennessee Vols All-American cornerback Jermod McCoy, but a new development from NFL insider Tom Pelissero makes it clear that the Cowboys need to avoid rolling the dice on another cornerback with knee concerns, after the recent history with Diggs and selecting Shavon Revel on Day 2 last season.

Revel was limited to just seven games while he recovered from a season-ending torn ACL during his final year at ECU. Dallas cannot afford to waste a premium pick on a redshirt rookie, so the team must proceed with caution.

Jermod McCoy May Need Another Surgery?

Live from Pittsburgh: The latest from me and @RapSheet on the medical situations surrounding LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier and Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy, whose draft stock will be one of the biggest stories Thursday night. pic.twitter.com/h9ktvIQ1RA
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 20, 2026

While there is no denying McCoy has the talent, there is a growing concern about his knee despite a strong performance at his private Pro Day. According to Pelissero, some teams believe McCoy could need another surgery.

McCoy has been linked to the Cowboys with the No. 12 overall pick, which could be a major risk, with the NFL insider suggesting the Vols star could still be available late in Day 2.

"Another injury we're going to be monitoring closely, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, who did not play at all last season, has certainly drawn a lot of scrutiny from the NFL medical people in the pre-draft process," Pelissero said. "And there is a possibility that he is going to slip in this draft because of the knee that kept him out last season.

"It's not the ACL that he had reconstructed. My understanding is the ACL itself is fine. All the scans look good. The concern is about a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee. Some of the doctors who have seen his scans are concerned that he will need another surgery to replace that bone plug, which would be an extensive recovery. McCoy feels good... In his mind, he is fully anticipating being ready to roll in the 2026 season. But you've got 32 team doctors, 32 degrees of risk tolerance. Everybody is looking at this. This is a top 10 talent who potentially may not go that high, may not even go in Round 2."

Dallas needs to improve on defense immediately and is looking for someone who can contribute during his rookie year, so Dallas will need to determine whether it is worth the risk. Considering the team's history with cornerbacks dealing with serious knee injuries, it would be wise to play things safe.

It's going to be very interesting to monitor just how far McCoy falls on draft day and when teams feel comfortable pulling the trigger.

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