🚨BREAKING: The Dallas Cowboys face a tough dilemma as cornerback Jermod McCoy’s elite talent clashes with a risky ACL recovery in the 2026 Draft.QQ
The expectation is that the Dallas Cowboys will use their two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft on defensive players. With most of the offense under contract for the next several years, the defense could use an influx of young, cheap talent.
The good news for Dallas is that this is a very defensive-heavy draft, especially at the top. Linebacker and EDGE are two of the strongest positions in the draft, and both spots could be of interest to the Cowboys in Round 1. But what about cornerback? It’s a position that the Cowboys value early, and there is one very intriguing option that could entice Jerry Jones and the rest of the front office.
Cowboys should say “no” to Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy in Round 1
In a recent mock draft by Dane Brugler of The Athletic, he had the Cowboys making a very strange choice with their first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead of drafting the top available EDGE defender or the best linebacker on the board (Sonny Styles), he had the Cowboys selecting Jermod McCoy, a cornerback from Tennessee.
McCoy has not played a snap this year due to his knee injury, but he could have easily been a top 10 selection if he were healthy. Here is a snippet of why Brugler believes the Cowboys could be the team to take a chance on the talented SEC cornerback in Round 1:
“Since he’s coming back from an ACL tear, McCoy hasn’t produced any 2025 tape to evaluate. However, his 2024 tape was outstanding, and he will be more than a year removed from his injury by the NFL Scouting Combine. Dallas has never been shy about taking chances on players coming off injury.”
Dane Brugler, The Athletic
It’s not hard to understand the reason behind why the Cowboys would make this selection, as Trevon Diggs isn’t a lock to be on the roster in 2026. Dallas is hoping that Shavon Revel and Caelen Carson will grow into starters, but they need more talent in their secondary, and a healthy McCoy would dramatically improve the unit.
McCoy checks on the physical boxes that Will McClay and the front office want from a cornerback (32” arms, 4.4 speed, etc.), so that’s not the issue. McCoy is currently the No. 10-ranked player on Pro Football Focus after an 87.0 grade during the 2024 season. It’s also worth noting that Brugler has McCoy ranked 9th in the class, so he believes this would be a steal based on his evaluation.
But the reason the Cowboys can’t make this move is that it’s too risky. Dallas has positioned themselves to be in a championship window during the 2026 and 2027 seasons and taking a cornerback coming off a major injury just doesn’t make sense. Most players aren’t quite the same physically for at least two years after a major knee injury, and cornerback is a position that can be slow developing in the NFL.
That’s not to say the Cowboys shouldn’t draft a cornerback in Round 1, but it’s just too much risk to take on for a franchise that desperately needs two Day 1 starters on defense from the 2026 NFL Draft. McCoy has all of the traits to be a fantastic starting cornerback in the NFL, but the Cowboys should pass on him (at least with their first pick) for a player with fewer red flags.
