Back in 2020, as Patrick Mahomes prepared for his first Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers, he received a public message of support from one of his biggest admirers, Jermod McCoy. “Let’s go!” McCoy wrote at the time, sharing a throwback photo of himself with Mahomes. Fast forward to the present, and the setting has changed. McCoy is now at the NFL Scouting Combine. This time, it’s Mahomes offering the public acknowledgment.

“Wild to see @JermodMccoy at the podium at the combine. Good luck this year!” Mahomes wrote on ‘X’ while re-sharing the exact post that McCoy shared over half a decade ago.

If McCoy ever wondered whether Mahomes remembered him, that post answered it. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback clearly hasn’t forgotten the connection they built years ago. In many ways, Mahomes helped shape the path McCoy took from Texas to Tennessee.

McCoy, now 20, grew up in Flint, Texas, starring in football, baseball, and track at Whitehouse High School. It’s the same school where Mahomes had excelled in football, baseball, and basketball a decade earlier. The parallels are obvious. Multi-sport background. Small-town development. Big aspirations.

Like Mahomes, McCoy embraced competing across sports rather than specializing early, putting in the work without worrying about what might happen if he chose just one. By the time Mahomes was already a favorite quarterback among local kids, McCoy was watching closely.

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Besides, there was also a personal layer to their connection. Mahomes’ aunt was McCoy’s favorite third-grade teacher. Mahomes, then a high school quarterback and pitcher, attended a few of McCoy’s youth football games. When Mahomes returned to Whitehouse in 2018 after becoming the Chiefs’ starter, he made sure to reconnect.

The relationship continued beyond that. As a 16-year-old, McCoy was coached in baseball by Mahomes’ father, former major leaguer Pat Mahomes, further tying the families together.

“(Patrick Mahomes) has probably forgotten about me by now, but he kind of knew me back then. I really looked up to him,” McCoy said. “Of course, when you’re in Little League, everybody looks up to the high school quarterback. But he watched me play a few times. And I was pretty good.”

Now, after spending time at Tennessee, McCoy is entering the 2026 NFL Draft. And seeing him at the podium at the Combine clearly struck a chord with Mahomes. Considering where their story began, it’s not hard to understand why the moment felt surreal.

As for McCoy, even though he’s projected as a Day 1 pick, there are still legitimate hurdles ahead. The cornerback is coming off a season-ending injury, and while he has recovered, teams will naturally evaluate how that setback impacts his readiness and long-term durability.

Jermod McCoy is fully healed from his season-ending knee injury

Following his career with the Whitehouse Wildcats, Jermod McCoy began his collegiate journey at Oregon State in 2023. As a freshman, he recorded 31 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and two interceptions before transferring to Tennessee.

In his sophomore season, he elevated that production with 44 combined tackles, one tackle for loss, and four interceptions. However, his momentum was interrupted in January 2025 when he tore his ACL while training after the 2024 season, forcing him to miss the entire 2025 campaign.

Fast forward to now, and the 20-year-old cornerback says he is fully recovered from the knee injury. Speaking Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine, McCoy made it clear he feels no physical restrictions.

“I can do everything. No limits.”

The corner admitted to clearing to practice following his recovery. However, he decided not to make a comeback. He explained:

“I got cleared. I was doing everything, practicing, everything. I just didn’t feel ready yet.”

He underwent medical evaluations at the Combine but will not participate in on-field drills there. Instead, he opted to wait until Tennessee’s pro day to allow for additional preparation time. Even with the injury, remaining eligibility, and potential NIL earnings to consider, McCoy said declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft was a straightforward decision.

“I just feel like when you’re ready, you’re ready,” he said. “I felt ready to come out and talked with my family, my agent, my coaches. They’re all on the same boat as me and agree with everything I was seeing.”

Now, McCoy enters the draft process coming off an injury recovery. Mock drafts project him as one of the first defensive backs selected. Whether that projection holds steady or not…that we shall see when draft week arrives.