Injury Concerns May Scare Teams Away From Projected First-Round Pick

Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy's ACL tear could cause him to fall in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 2:20am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movements of a football player, with sharp angles and planes that obscure the player's identity, conveying the intensity and physicality of the sport.An abstract, cubist-inspired illustration captures the physical demands and injury risks faced by top NFL draft prospects like Jermod McCoy.Kansas City Today

Jermod McCoy, a top cornerback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, could fall from his projected first-round status due to concerns over his injury history, particularly a January 2025 ACL tear that caused him to miss the entire 2025 season. Sources indicate that if McCoy had been healthy, he could have been a top-10 pick, but the medical information on his recovery may scare some teams away.

Why it matters

The NFL Draft is a high-stakes event where teams invest heavily in young talent, so injury histories are a major factor in evaluating prospects. McCoy's potential fall from a likely top-10 pick to potentially later in the first round shows how much weight teams put on medical concerns, even for talented players.

The details

According to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, McCoy's talent alone would warrant a top-10 selection, but the January 2025 ACL tear that caused him to miss the entire 2025 season has teams worried about his health and ability to contribute as a rookie. Anonymous NFL executives praised McCoy's skills, with one GM saying he thought McCoy was a top-5 player in the class based on his 2024 tape, while a defensive coordinator called him the best cover player in the draft. However, the same sources acknowledged the injury will 'scare some people' and that teams may be hesitant to invest a high first-round pick if McCoy is not fully recovered.

  • McCoy missed the entire 2025 season due to the January 2025 ACL tear.
  • The 2026 NFL Draft is less than a week away.

The players

Jermod McCoy

A top cornerback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee, who is projected to be a first-round pick but may fall due to concerns over his injury history, particularly a January 2025 ACL tear that caused him to miss the entire 2025 season.

Jonathan Jones

A CBS Sports reporter who wrote about McCoy's draft prospects and the concerns teams have over his injury history.

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What they’re saying

“If Jermod McCoy had been healthy this past season, there's a very real chance he is a top-10 pick next week.”

— Jonathan Jones, CBS Sports Reporter

“I thought McCoy was a top-five player in this year's class based off last year's film. Everything looks incredibly easy for him. Injury will scare some people and don't blame them.”

— Anonymous NFL GM

“He's the best cover player in the draft.”

— Anonymous NFL Defensive Coordinator

What’s next

The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place next week, where teams will have to weigh McCoy's talent against the risks posed by his injury history when deciding whether to select him in the first round.

The takeaway

This story highlights the difficult decisions NFL teams face when evaluating talented prospects with injury concerns. While McCoy's skills are undeniable, the uncertainty around his recovery from a serious knee injury could cause him to slide down the draft board, demonstrating how medical evaluations can significantly impact a player's draft stock.