To kick off Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders saw an opportunity they could not pass up.
Las Vegas moved up to the first pick of the fourth round by trading with the Buffalo Bills because, well, there was an opportunity for the taking. It was too good not to make this happen.
The Raiders went and drafted Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, who was the most notable draft faller of this year, by far. The former Volunteer was widely-viewed as a first-round talent who could fall towards the back of Day 1, but no one saw this coming.
Because of a major knee injury and lingering concerns over it, McCoy's fall lasted way longer than anticipated. But Las Vegas ended that slide and couldn't resist the value. Now, what exactly are the Raiders getting in McCoy?
Tennessee expert assures Raiders fans exactly what they're getting in Jermod McCoy
To keep things on the positive side, FanSided's Tennessee Volunteers expert is here to tell Raider Nation exactly what to expect out of their new rookie. Connor Linsner of All For Tennessee had this to say following the pick:
"McCoy profiles as a true No. 1 cornerback with his ability to run, cover, and track balls in the air. By all accounts he's healthy and his pro day showed that where he ran a 4.38 40-yard dash."
A true No. 1 cornerback? In the fourth round? If this pans out and McCoy reaches his potential after some injury concerns, then John Spytek looks like a genius.
Here's the thing. Yes, there were a lot of concerns about the state of McCoy's knee, and those are valid. But we did see him prove quite a bit at his pro day just a few weeks ago. He looked healthy, and that has to count for something.
Linsner also touched on the ACL tear, which kept him out all of 2025, of course, but highlighted that prolific 2024 season that saw him end up with four interceptions and nine pass breakups.
Finally, Linsner made a comment that should have all Raiders fans paying attention when he said McCoy "possesses elite athletic traits and is technically sound."
If McCoy is healthy -- and that's a big if -- then he is everything the Raiders could ask for. There is still the ceiling of becoming a shutdown corner in the NFL, which is precisely why the Raiders had to make this move.
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