Jermod McCoy Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

School: Tennessee

Class: Junior

Position: CB

HT: 6’1

WT: 188 lbs

Background: Jermod McCoy was a 3-star cornerback out of Whitehouse, Texas in the 2023 class. He is the cousin of Carolina Panthers LB Trevis Gipson. McCoy was not highly recruited by any powerhouse programs, playing both wide receiver and cornerback. He was named an all-league player at both positions as a senior. Jermod also competed in track & field and baseball. He won state titles in the long jump and triple jump, and he was an all-state baseball player. Jermod McCoy committed to Oregon State over Tulane, Louisiana Tech, and others.

College: As a true freshman in 2023, McCoy led the team with 9 passes defended, including 2 interceptions. After one season with the Beavers, McCoy transferred to the SEC to play for Tennessee. In his sophomore 2024 season, he was named a Second Team All-American and an All-SEC selection after leading the team with 13 passes defended. Unfortunately, Jermod suffered an offseason injury before the 2025 campaign that led to him missing the entire season.

Strengths: Jermod McCoy is an athletic freak at the cornerback position. Despite missing all of 2025, he came back healthy for his Pro Day and ran a 4.3 40-yard dash. His speed and athleticism pair well with his natural aggressive nature in man coverage. McCoy does not give his opponent an ounce of breathing room throughout the entirety of the route. His background in track and field is evident in his straight-line speed as well as his ability to climb the ladder and contest 50/50 balls. He tracks the ball well by getting his head around after reading the receiver’s body language. He whips his head around and tracks the ball to either look it in and take it away or to simply break up the pass. When playing press coverage, McCoy can comfortably shadow a variety of releases with quick and efficient footwork.

Weaknesses: For all the success McCoy has in man coverage, he struggles just as mightily in zone coverage. In Cover 2, he does not have a feel for what is going on behind him in the deep areas as he is playing the shallow boundary. Additionally, he needs to maintain coverage of the short to intermediate areas when in zone. He too often goes with the receiver through the deep areas of the field, joining his safety and leaving space open underneath.

Conclusion: Jermod McCoy is a physical presence on the boundary who can shut down an entire side of the field in man coverage. He really struggles to process and manage his assignment in zone coverage, which is his one pitfall. Put him in a man heavy scheme and let him lock down one side of the field. His injury history is certainly of concern, especially considering how much he relies on quick movement ability in his game. His Pro Day was a good start in putting those worries to rest.

Best Team Fits: KC, NYJ, DET

Player Comparison: Kool-Aid McKinstry

Player Grade: Round 2 (89.5)