The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of reasons to be excited for the 2026 campaign. Obviously, the arrival of No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza has fans pumped, but he isn’t the only new face in town. Beyond Mendoza, there are several rookies who could make an immediate impact for the team.
One of the most intriguing additions in the 2026 NFL Draft for Las Vegas was cornerback Jermod McCoy. A first-round talent, McCoy fell all the way to the fourth round due to injury concerns, with the Raiders eventually scooping him up. McCoy’s injury status will be worth keeping tabs on all year long, but ahead of training camp, he has received a big update regarding his contract situation.
Jermod McCoy Set to Sign Rookie Contract with Raiders
McCoy is a first-round talent who fell due to a significant knee injury.
McCoy only ended up playing two seasons in college, as he spent the 2023 season with the Oregon State Beavers before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers for the 2024 campaign. When he was on the field, McCoy’s upside was hard to miss, but again, injuries played a big role in determining where he landed in the draft.
The last time we saw McCoy on the field, he was starring for Tennessee, as he racked up 44 tackles, four interceptions, and nine pass breakups in 13 games. A torn ACL resulted in McCoy missing the entire 2025 campaign, but the real concern surrounding his injury status revolves around a cartilage defect found in his knee, which was treated with a bone plug.
For now, McCoy appears to be in good standing health-wise, but his knee issues could cause some problems down the line. The bigger thing that McCoy needs to take care of is his contract, as he is one of a handful of rookies across the league that has not put pen to paper on his first pro contract. That is reportedly set to change on Wednesday, as McCoy is set to sign his rookie deal with Las Vegas.
“Raiders corner Jermod McCoy plans to sign his rookie contract today, per source,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported in a post on X. “Las Vegas rookies report Thursday. McCoy is a first-round talent who fell due to a significant knee injury.”
Raiders Have High Hopes for Jermod McCoy, Despite Injury Concerns
GettyRaiders’ head coach Klint Kubiak provided an encouraging injury update on rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy
Even with his aforementioned injury woes, McCoy was still expected to be selected in the first round of the draft, so the fact that the Raiders were able to scoop him up in the fourth round is a good piece of business. Now, though, they need to get some value from this selection, which will make McCoy such an intriguing player to watch during training camp.
Right now, Eric Stokes, Darien Porter, and Taron Johnson are leading the way at cornerback for the Raiders, but there is going to be an opportunity for McCoy to earn snaps right from the get-go. Las Vegas is likely going to play it safe with McCoy throughout training camp, but if he’s healthy by the time Week 1 rolls around, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him immediately carve out a role for himself in the secondary.
Raiders Receive Jermod McCoy Update Before Training Camp