The Las Vegas Raiders weren't going to sit around and just let the board fall to them on the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead, John Spytek took matters into his own hands and made sure that the Silver and Black got their guy: Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy.
If Raiders fans knew that they would leave this draft with both McCoy and Fernando Mendoza, they would probably think that Las Vegas had to trade Maxx Crosby to get back into Round 1. But Las Vegas landed McCoy in Round 4, making this the potential pick of the draft.
Now, McCoy didn't fall for no reason. His knee injury is a legitimate concern for the front office, and they clearly only felt comfortable taking that risk in Round 4, as they passed on McCoy four times prior. But NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah reminded fans why this risk was worth it for the Raiders.
Daniel Jeremiah knows Las Vegas Raiders' Jermod McCoy gamble was well worth it
Jeremiah spoke about McCoy on NFL Network immediately after the card was turned in. And when his co-host mentioned that the Raiders were smart to give up a future pick to flip-flop with the Buffalo Bills, Jeremiah agreed wholeheartedly.
"No question. That’s why you move up one spot. When you get a chance to get what’s a top 20 player in this draft class," Jeremiah noted. "Look at the comparison: Jaycee Horn. That’s how talented this guy is. If he had stayed healthy through the process, not only (would he have been a) top 20 pick, maybe top 10 pick, and the No. 1 corner off the board based off this ‘24 tape you’re looking at right here. He is big, he’s long, you see the ability to disrupt at the line of scrimmage and then locate the ball … He was more than willing, he’s a physical tackler."
McCoy is undoubtedly talented. If his six interceptions and 16 passes defended don't convince you enough, then turn on the tape and see an incredibly physical cornerback who mirrors pass-catchers with every step that they take. Oh, and he is only 19 years old in the tape that you'd be watching.
When a player of that caliber becomes available on Day 3, you just have to make it happen if you're the Raiders. One could argue that Las Vegas doesn't need to be taking risks, but the counterpoint to that is that the team desperately needs high-end talent, and that's not typically available in Round 4.
Jaycee Horn is a Pro Bowl-caliber, $100 million cornerback. If McCoy can even be in the same air space as him as an NFL player, then the Raiders made out like complete bandits with this selection. And again, all it cost was a future seventh-round pick to get him.
At the end of the day, McCoy is just a fourth-round pick. If he doesn't pan out, that wouldn't be too uncommon for a Day 3 selection. But, as Jeremiah mentioned, the chance to get a potential top-flight talent at pick No. 101 was too good to pass up. Guys like him aren't available in this range.
So you do what you can to get them when they are.
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