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Draft month, finally, has arrived.
Continuing our series that began this month and will run until the 2026 NFL Draft begins April 23, The Detroit News will spotlight one prospect a day who could be a first-round fit for the Detroit Lions, who own the 17th overall pick. Assuming the Lions don't trade out, it'll be their highest selection since running back Jahmyr Gibbs went No. 12 in 2023.
Today's focus will be on Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy.
▶ 13 appearances in 2024 (missed all of 2025 with torn ACL)
▶ 44 tackles, nine pass deflections, four interceptions
▶ 696 defensive snaps (393 coverage, 299 run defense, four pass rush)
▶ 56 special teams snaps (34 field goal block, 19 punt return, three kick return)
Rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 1,481 prospect in the Class of 2023, it didn't take long for McCoy to outplay his recruiting profile. The Texas native and former standout at Whitehouse High School spent his true freshman season at Oregon State, where he made 12 appearances (five starts) and had a passer rating against (97.8) that ranked third among cornerbacks on the Beavers.
Oregon State's 2023 regular season ended Nov. 24, and head coach Jonathan Smith left for Michigan State the following day. McCoy hit the transfer portal soon after and was recruited by a number of Power Four programs, including Auburn, Oregon, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Washington. He eventually chose Tennessee and became one of the country's best at his position in 2024 while working under defensive coordinator Tim Banks, a Detroit native who played cornerback at Central Michigan in the early '90s.
Among the 141 cornerbacks at the FBS level who were in coverage for at least 350 plays in 2024, McCoy's passer rating against (53.6) ranked 12th, as he allowed 31 receptions for 386 yards and two touchdowns on 62 targets. A former receiver in high school who had 784 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior, McCoy put his ball skills on display with nine pass deflections and four interceptions in 2024. He earned All-America and All-SEC honors as a sophomore, and he was semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. McCoy went on to suffer a torn ACL while training in January 2025, ending his third collegiate season before it could begin.
Six cornerbacks have been drafted in the top 10 since 2020: Jeff Okudah (Lions), Jaycee Horn (Carolina Panthers), Pat Surtain II (Denver Broncos), Derek Stingley Jr. (Houston Texans), Sauce Gardner (New York Jets) and Devon Witherspoon (Seattle Seahawks). McCoy's numbers in 2024 are comparable (and sometimes better) than the peak seasons of those six players, and McCoy (6-foot-1, 188 pounds, 31¼-inch arms) has the physical tools you want from a No. 1 option on the outside. Had he been healthy in 2025 and repeated his success from 2024, McCoy could've easily been a top-10 selection.
But that's not reality, and McCoy's draft stock has suffered because of it. McCoy opted not to participate in any of the workouts aside from the bench press (14 reps) while at the combine in February, but he recently performed well at Tennessee's Pro Day, recording a 40-yard dash of 4.37 seconds, a broad jump of 10 feet, 7 inches and a vertical jump of 38 inches. Those results would've ranked second, 10th and tied for 15th among cornerbacks at the combine, respectively.
McCoy plays with an edge but displays impressive patience to match routes, using his quick feet and smooth hips to stick with receivers. Even when in press coverage, McCoy doesn't lean on physicality, but waits for the opponent to make a move before swiftly countering. He excelled in man coverage, asked to stick one-on-one for 102 plays in 2024. He was targeted 25 times on those man-to-man opportunities but only allowed 10 catches for 168 yards, good for a passer rating against of 30.1. The Lions have been near the top of the league in use of man coverage over the last five seasons.
One of the biggest knocks against McCoy's 2024 campaign was his eight penalties (two were declined). Four of those flags were for pass interference and another was for defensive holding on a 2-point conversion. The others were for lining up offsides, a facemask and a horse-collar tackle.
The Lions have already invested two premium draft picks (Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.) and an expensive contract (D.J. Reed) at cornerback, though the group has not exactly been stable, largely because of injuries but also partly due to substandard play. McCoy would give the Lions immediate competition on the outside, and he'd potentially have the highest ceiling of anyone at the position.
▶Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor
▶ Miami edge defender Akheem Mesidor
[email protected]
@rich_silva18
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Jermod McCoy could give Detroit Lions answer at cornerback
Continue reading...
Continuing our series that began this month and will run until the 2026 NFL Draft begins April 23, The Detroit News will spotlight one prospect a day who could be a first-round fit for the Detroit Lions, who own the 17th overall pick. Assuming the Lions don't trade out, it'll be their highest selection since running back Jahmyr Gibbs went No. 12 in 2023.
Today's focus will be on Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy.
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By the numbers
▶ 13 appearances in 2024 (missed all of 2025 with torn ACL)
▶ 44 tackles, nine pass deflections, four interceptions
▶ 696 defensive snaps (393 coverage, 299 run defense, four pass rush)
▶ 56 special teams snaps (34 field goal block, 19 punt return, three kick return)
Career overview
Rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 1,481 prospect in the Class of 2023, it didn't take long for McCoy to outplay his recruiting profile. The Texas native and former standout at Whitehouse High School spent his true freshman season at Oregon State, where he made 12 appearances (five starts) and had a passer rating against (97.8) that ranked third among cornerbacks on the Beavers.
Oregon State's 2023 regular season ended Nov. 24, and head coach Jonathan Smith left for Michigan State the following day. McCoy hit the transfer portal soon after and was recruited by a number of Power Four programs, including Auburn, Oregon, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Washington. He eventually chose Tennessee and became one of the country's best at his position in 2024 while working under defensive coordinator Tim Banks, a Detroit native who played cornerback at Central Michigan in the early '90s.
Among the 141 cornerbacks at the FBS level who were in coverage for at least 350 plays in 2024, McCoy's passer rating against (53.6) ranked 12th, as he allowed 31 receptions for 386 yards and two touchdowns on 62 targets. A former receiver in high school who had 784 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior, McCoy put his ball skills on display with nine pass deflections and four interceptions in 2024. He earned All-America and All-SEC honors as a sophomore, and he was semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. McCoy went on to suffer a torn ACL while training in January 2025, ending his third collegiate season before it could begin.
Analysis
Six cornerbacks have been drafted in the top 10 since 2020: Jeff Okudah (Lions), Jaycee Horn (Carolina Panthers), Pat Surtain II (Denver Broncos), Derek Stingley Jr. (Houston Texans), Sauce Gardner (New York Jets) and Devon Witherspoon (Seattle Seahawks). McCoy's numbers in 2024 are comparable (and sometimes better) than the peak seasons of those six players, and McCoy (6-foot-1, 188 pounds, 31¼-inch arms) has the physical tools you want from a No. 1 option on the outside. Had he been healthy in 2025 and repeated his success from 2024, McCoy could've easily been a top-10 selection.
But that's not reality, and McCoy's draft stock has suffered because of it. McCoy opted not to participate in any of the workouts aside from the bench press (14 reps) while at the combine in February, but he recently performed well at Tennessee's Pro Day, recording a 40-yard dash of 4.37 seconds, a broad jump of 10 feet, 7 inches and a vertical jump of 38 inches. Those results would've ranked second, 10th and tied for 15th among cornerbacks at the combine, respectively.
McCoy plays with an edge but displays impressive patience to match routes, using his quick feet and smooth hips to stick with receivers. Even when in press coverage, McCoy doesn't lean on physicality, but waits for the opponent to make a move before swiftly countering. He excelled in man coverage, asked to stick one-on-one for 102 plays in 2024. He was targeted 25 times on those man-to-man opportunities but only allowed 10 catches for 168 yards, good for a passer rating against of 30.1. The Lions have been near the top of the league in use of man coverage over the last five seasons.
One of the biggest knocks against McCoy's 2024 campaign was his eight penalties (two were declined). Four of those flags were for pass interference and another was for defensive holding on a 2-point conversion. The others were for lining up offsides, a facemask and a horse-collar tackle.
The Lions have already invested two premium draft picks (Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.) and an expensive contract (D.J. Reed) at cornerback, though the group has not exactly been stable, largely because of injuries but also partly due to substandard play. McCoy would give the Lions immediate competition on the outside, and he'd potentially have the highest ceiling of anyone at the position.
Previous profiles
▶Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor
▶ Miami edge defender Akheem Mesidor
[email protected]
@rich_silva18
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Jermod McCoy could give Detroit Lions answer at cornerback
Continue reading...
