Jermod McCoy’s lengthy wait to hear his name called at the NFL Draft came to a quick end on Saturday.
The Las Vegas Raiders selected the Tennessee cornerback with the first pick of the fourth round, taking a small gamble that McCoy will return to form after missing all of last season with a torn ACL.
McCoy had six interceptions in 25 games with the Volunteers and Oregon State, where he began his college career in 2023 before transferring to Tennessee. He injured the knee during offseason workouts in January 2025, not long after the Vols lost in the College Football Playoff.
“I was prepared for whatever happened, but, I mean, I would’ve been excited to go higher, for sure, because, I mean, I had a good pro day, ran some good times and just did good things like that,” McCoy said. “But, I mean, I was prepared for whatever happened. Because, I mean, it’s not in my control.”
The Raiders are hoping McCoy can help a defense that failed to generate takeaways with much consistency during a miserable 3-14 season in 2025. Las Vegas had just eight interceptions in 17 games last season, 25th in the 32-team league.
The pick also reunites McCoy — in a way at least — with top overall pick Fernando Mendoza. McCoy’s first career collegiate interception came against Mendoza while McCoy was at Oregon State and Mendoza was playing at California.
“It was probably one of the top moments in my life, my first college pick,” McCoy said. “We talked after that game, too, just chopped it up a little bit … We got the best quarterback in college football and now going to be the best in the league.”
McCoy added that watching the first three rounds pass by without being selected will “fuel” him as he looks to regain the form that had him on a first-round trajectory before the injury.
“I feel like I learned about myself, it’s just like, I feel like I’m super mentally strong,” he said. “I feel I’ve just been through a lot. I got a story that I’m still trying to tell.”
McCoy isn’t the only one.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who began his last season with the Tigers with Heisman Trophy and national title hopes, only to endure a nightmarish fall in which Clemson went 7-6, went to the New York Jets with the 110th pick.
The fifth round included Ohio State defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr., following brother Sonny — selected seventh overall by Washington on Thursday — into the pros when he was taken by New Orleans.