The Las Vegas Raiders traded up one spot in order to secure Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy.

Here are a few things to know about the Raiders' first pick on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Switching lanes

The three-star prospect from Tyler, Texas, was an exceptional athlete coming out of Whitehouse High School, the same alma mater with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

During McCoy's senior season, he recorded 28 tackles and two interceptions as a cornerback and 57 receptions for 784 yards and eight touchdowns as a receiver.

He was also an all-state baseball player as a center fielder and second baseman and won the Class 5A state championships in the long jump (23 feet 10.5 inches) and triple jump (50-7.75) his senior season with the track and field team.

"Locked in" on defense

After committing to Oregon State, he became an immediate contributor for the Beavers and was placed at cornerback full-time. As a true freshman, he racked up seven pass deflections and two interceptions in 12 games played.

Funny coincidence, McCoy's first career interception at Oregon State came against then-Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who he'll now become teammates with.

He upped the ante after transferring to Tennessee the following season, compiling four interceptions and nine pass deflections on his way to being named second-team All-SEC.

"Playing defense is more technical, and you've got to be locked in," McCoy said during his sophomore season at Tennessee. "You're making adjustments off of what the offense is doing. We're reacting to them, and if you're a receiver, you've just got to make a move."

Returning from setback

McCoy went into the 2025 season with hopes of being a first-round pick. However, it wasn't meant to be due to an ACL injury.

He was forced to miss the entirety of the season, yet still decided to declare for the draft. While there's still injury concerns surrounding his knee, he participated in the NFL Combine and his Tennessee pro day. At the Combine in Indianapolis, he hit 14 reps on bench press.

Additionally, he clocked a 4.37 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day, which would've tied for the second-fastest time among cornerbacks at the Combine.

"I got back to training and I just felt like myself again," McCoy said at the NFL Combine. "I mean, I made a big impact the year that I played and I was ready."