Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft is officially underway, and already, there has been a trade. The Las Vegas Raiders moved up one spot to the top pick of the 4th round in a deal with the Buffalo Bills
After making the trade, the Raiders have stopped the fall of one of the best defenders in the draft, CB Jermod McCoy.
Raiders Stop the Biggest Slide of the Draft After Selecting Jermod McCoy
In the 2024 season, McCoy was one of the best defensive players in all of college football. There were high hopes for the 2025 season, but before that could happen, McCoy tore his ACL in January, sidelining him for the entire season. This injury was a major hit to his 2026 draft stock, but that is not why he was falling.
McCoy has a bone plug in his knee to repair cartilage, and doctors around the NFL think that the plug will need to be replaced, which may sideline him for another season. This could also shorten his career.
Despite the worries, he is such a talented player that selecting him would be worth it, and after the Raiders got it done, the NFL World had some major reactions.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz labeled McCoy as the potential top steal in this year’s draft, “Jermod McCoy is a bona fide top 10 talent who the Raiders just got the in 4th-round. If healthy, he could become the steal of this entire draft.”
Jermod McCoy is a bona fide top 10 talent who the #Raiders just got the in 4th-round. If healthy, he could become the steal of this entire draft. https://t.co/gd94KeEe1o
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 25, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles reporter Thomas R. Peterson expresses his hope for McCoy in the NFL: “So happy for McCoy. Hope everything works out for him.”
So happy for McCoy.
Hope everything works out for him https://t.co/vktcyfrwRd
— Thomas R. Petersen (@thomasrp93) April 25, 2026
NFL reporter Greg Auman speaks on the injury risk, but how much of a deal the selection was, “A significant injury risk, but Raiders are getting him at like 20 cents on the dollar compared to if he was healthy.”
A significant injury risk, but Raiders are getting him at like 20 cents on the dollar compared to if he was healthy. https://t.co/d9GjtnNNKT
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) April 25, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals analyst Lindsay Patterson also speaks on her hope for McCoy’s injury luck in the NFL, “good for McCoy hope he can stay healthy!”
good for McCoy hope he can stay healthy! https://t.co/8UnIRON3vH
— Lindsay Patterson (@LndsPatterson) April 25, 2026
NFL Insider Matt Miller believes the Raiders are having a great draft, and the McCoy pick made it even better, “The Raiders continue to crush this draft. So happy for Jermod McCoy”.
NFL Insider Albert Breer explains a bit further the severity of the injury issues McCoy is dealing with, and how it can change his career moving forward, “The surgery Jermod McCoy had was similar to a microfracture (they don’t really do microfractures anymore). And the concern is if he has to have the surgery—which isn’t always successful—redone, his career would be over. But before all this, he was up there with Mansoor Delane.”
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Even if McCoy is out for his rookie year, the potential of this selection is through the roof, and the Raiders could have just made a franchise-changing move. Time will tell whether that happens, but all eyes will be on McCoy’s health moving forward.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
