Why Raiders 'Really Excited' About Jermod McCoy's Development

Las Vegas may have found its next cornerstone defensive back.

May 20, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jermod McCoy (28) practices during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Las Vegas Raiders pulled off one of the biggest steals in the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting cornerback Jermod McCoy at the top of the fourth round.

McCoy entered the draft as a first-round prospect, but questions pertaining to his surgically repaired knee left many organizations hesitant to take the Tennessee product off the board. McCoy has impressed coaches during offseason workouts, and they are high on the potential star cornerback.

Coaches' Thoughts

Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive line coach Rob Leonard against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

• "He jumps out when he does individual [drills] with how explosive he is, and you see the talent," defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said.

• "He's done a great job," head coach Klint Kubiak said. "We're asking him to spend a lot of time with [Guerrero] just to get him ready, so that when we put him out there come training camp, we have 100% confidence in him. [We are] really excited about seeing him practice come training camp."

Feb 10, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak speaks at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

• "Football is football. For me, the hardest thing is I really want to do more fundamental drills with him just to develop them the way I see," defensive backs coach Joe Woods said, "But that whole process, he's fine. When we had him, it was like he didn't miss any time."

• "I love the new guys," cornerback Eric Stokes said. "I just can't wait to see how they're going to develop. ...It's always a challenge, but I feel like that we got the right guys and we got the right people in the room to help them grow."

Overall Takeaways

May 20, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jermod McCoy (28) practices during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Las Vegas' coaching staff has steadily brought McCoy along, as he continues to work back from a knee injury that prevented him from playing the entire 2025 season.

However, if McCoy stays on track and proves himself during training camp, the Raiders' decision to trade up to the first pick of the fourth round to draft the 6-foot-1, 193-pound cornerback will be justified. Las Vegas' pass defense was underwhelming last season, and adding McCoy to the allotment of pieces general manager John Spytek infused into that side of the ball could be a masterclass decision.

May 28, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jermod McCoy (28) runs a drill during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Overall, Las Vegas' front office and coaching staff should be thrilled about the talent assembled on this roster over the last several months. The Raiders have been labeled a rebuilding team, but that process could be expedited by how the organization has gone about its business in hiring Kubiak, through free agency, and in the draft. Las Vegas is certainly heading in the right direction, following a tumultuous 2025 season.