Jermod McCoy’s first days with the Las Vegas Raiders are giving the team exactly what it needed: proof that the Tennessee cornerback is on the field and stacking work.
Klint Kubiak said Friday that McCoy has been available from the start of camp, and the Raiders head coach sounded encouraged by what he’s seen so far.
“Yeah, I think he’s been available for three days, which is a really positive start,” Kubiak told reporters. “So, just keep stacking days.
We’ll keep monitoring his mileage, and just see how he comes in and recovers the next day. But to see him out there getting as much work as he’s getting has been excellent.”
That kind of update matters because McCoy’s path to Las Vegas came with real questions attached. He was one of the major names in the 2026 draft conversation last spring, was viewed as a possible first-round pick, and then slid to the fourth round before the Raiders took him at the start of Day 3. The drop came after he missed the entire 2025 season with an ACL tear suffered in January 2025.
For now, though, the most important detail is simpler: he’s practicing.
McCoy practiced on Sunday as well, giving him four straight days on the field to open camp. The Athletic’s Sam Warren posted to X that McCoy had an “up and down” practice, noting a pass breakup, a play where he got beat and was flagged for PI. Las Vegas reporter Derek Hegna also posted to X that McCoy put together a nice day.
No one is rushing to label McCoy a starter yet, and nobody is declaring the injury concerns behind him. But after the draft buzz around a possible second surgery, just seeing him handle four straight practices is a strong sign for where this can go next.
As the workload builds, the Raiders are waiting to see his legs come back and his talent show through again. That upside is exactly why they were willing to take the shot.
McCoy’s 2024 season at Tennessee was a big one: 44 tackles, seven pass deflections, and four interceptions. He was a key part of a defense that helped push the Vols to their first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoffs.
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