What is Going on with Jermod McCoy's Knee: New Reports Surface

Jermod McCoy had injury concerns coming into this year's draft, but his talent was undeniable. A healthy McCoy was a no doubt top 10 pick, but experts forecasted his knee issues pushing him to the end of the first round.

As we head into round 4 of the NFL draft, McCoy remains unselected.

The cornerback out of Tennessee could be an asset to any team. Defensive back is a position you can never have enough of, especially in the modern NFL.

But new details have emerged about what could lie ahead for McCoy.

According to Yahoo's Charles Robinson, the concern about McCoy is not his recent ACL surgery. Nowadays, an athlete can make a full recovery from an ACL without seeing any diminishing returns in their athleticism.

McCoy has a degenerative cartilage issue in his knee, and a bone plug was used to repair it. During certain surgeries, a bone plug is required to fill the space left by removed tissue or bone.

The thought process among team doctors is that this bone plug will eventually have to be replaced. The bone and cartilage are taken from another part of the body, and it may not be robust enough to handle the impact required to support the knee in a sport like football.

As a result, teams are taking a risk-averse approach to McCoy despite his ability. There is a thought that this surgery could be career threatening.

Robinson also reported that one of the top surgeons in this specific field is Cowboys team doctor Dan Cooper. So it's telling to see how the Cowboys, a team in need of defensive talent, approaches this situation. If they avoid McCoy, it speaks loudly of their concerns. Selecting McCoy indicates that they are confident they can navigate this situation.

Some players drop in the draft due to character concerns. But it's a shame when a player drops due to health issues outside of their control. It's likely that a team will eventually take a chance on a player this good. Wherever he lands, he'll have a group of fans rooting for this potential comeback story.

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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 10:13 AM.