Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, questions circulated about former Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy. The reason is that while he had the talent and production to be a top pick, he also had an concerning knee issue.
Videos by FanBuzz
McCoy missed the entire 2025 college football season due to a torn ACL, but he was able to get back in time for the pre-Draft process. This included taking part in Tennessee's pro day where he ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash.
However, he still fell to the third day before landing with the Raiders in the fourth round. One reason for the fall is a report surrounding his surgically-repaired knee. NFL Media said before the NFL Draft that concern surrounded the bone plug used to "repair a cartilage defect" in the knee.
According to NFL Media, some of the doctors who had seen the bone plug expressed concerns that McCoy would need another surgery to replace the bone plug. This would lead to an extensive recovery.
A bone plug, or Osteochondral Autograft Transfer, happens when a surgeon takes "healthy articular cartilage and bone from a non-weight-bearing area of the knee to fill in damage in a weight-bearing area."
The surgeon takes a coring tool to create a circular hole in the area with the damaged or defective cartilage. They then insert the plug into the same spot while creating a smooth joint surface.
McCoy acknowledged the concerns with his bone plug during a post-Draft interview with the Raiders editorial team. He also noted that while he had a top-10 grade, he entered the Draft prepared for a potential fall. That did not diminish his excitement about getting the life-changing phone call.
"This ain't something you can take for granted," McCoy said, per the Raiders. "This is everyone's dream. So it's not just something you can just say, 'I didn't get drafted where I wanted so I'm not (going) to watch the Draft'
"...It's still a blessing to get drafted. I was in there watching it, got the call, super excited, ready to get to work."
