Jermod McCoy missed his entire 2025 season, and yet he is widely projected as a first-round pick in the upcoming draft. It was mainly based on what he showed the last time he was on the field. And while Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys are looking to strengthen their secondary, Joseph Hoyt pointed out one key reason why Dallas might hesitate if McCoy is available at No. 12 or No. 20.

“He (McCoy) says, ‘Hey, I’m completely good to go, I’m perfectly fine,’ and then he doesn’t do anything at the combine when it was such a big question. And I understand the hesitation from the Cowboys. I don’t think they want red-shirt players. Don’t think that they want to use a top-12 pick on a guy who plays six games next year. I think that they need instant impact guys, and they need to be fully comfortable with a guy like McCoy.”

That concern ties to McCoy’s recovery from a torn ACL in 2025. The 20-year-old has been vocal about his progress and even admitted he considered returning to Tennessee late last season after the medical staff cleared him to practice. Ultimately, he chose not to and instead declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

“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, [and] my coaches. They’re all on the same boat as me and agree with everything I was seeing.”

But the narrative shifted at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. McCoy showed up, went through medical evaluations, but skipped on-field drills. Given that his health is the biggest question mark, passing on that opportunity to showcase his athleticism did not go unnoticed. And with picks at No. 12 and No. 20, Dallas may not be in a position to gamble on a player who might not be fully available early in the season. The expectation is immediate impact, not a gradual return.

The only thing that might work in McCoy’s favor is his resume. He began his college career at Oregon in 2023, appearing in 12 games with five starts, recording 31 tackles, seven pass breakups, and two interceptions. McCoy then transferred to Tennessee in 2024 and delivered his best season, finishing with 44 tackles, seven pass breakups, and four interceptions, tied for the most in the SEC. In 2025, it was the ACL injury that halted his production. But his previous statistics are exactly why his stock has held firm despite missing all of 2025.

However, the timeline is the biggest question mark. And for a team like Dallas, that distinction could ultimately decide whether McCoy is worth the risk when they are on the clock in April. Last year, the team learned its lesson when it drafted Shavon Revel in the third round, even though he had torn his ACL in September 2024. Everything went wrong during his rookie season. Revel missed all of training camp and the preseason, and by the time he was healthy enough to play, the game was just too fast for him.

He played in 7 games, starting 5 of them. He suffered drastically in coverage metrics, posting a 35.2 overall defensive grade from PFF. It ranked last (114th of 114) among qualified cornerbacks. That decision to draft Revel in 2025 could have a trickle effect on the 2026 class. For now, McCoy’s Pro Day at the month’s end will carry extra weight. And that will come at a time when Jerry Jones has already addressed the team’s needs on the secondary.

Jerry Jones has already bolstered the Cowboys’ secondary

The Cowboys ranked dead last in passing yards allowed last season, surrendering 253.6 yards per game. As it sounds, the rankings made one thing clear. The secondary needed a reset. That is exactly why Jerry Jones moved quickly and reshaped the unit with Christian Parker set to take over defensive coordinator duties. The first move came at safety. Dallas signed Jalen Thompson to a three-year, $33 million deal from the Arizona Cardinals. He has been a full-time starter and brings nine career interceptions, along with durability and experience. He also turns 28 in July, which keeps him right in his prime.

They then added another safety in P. J. Locke on a one-year deal. Locke started 26 games over six seasons with the Denver Broncos and picked off a pass in the playoffs against the Buffalo Bills this past January. Across his career, he has totaled 174 tackles and seven tackles for loss. Now he steps into a secondary that clearly needed reinforcements. At the cornerback position, Dallas added Cobie Durant on a one-year, $5.5 million deal from the Los Angeles Rams. Durant started 39 of 61 games over four seasons in Los Angeles and recorded seven interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.

The Cowboys also brought in another former Rams corner, Derion Kendrick, on a one-year deal. Kendrick was waived during final cuts last year. He then spent time with the Seattle Seahawks, and later returned to Los Angeles in Week 14. Now, he becomes part of Dallas’ broader defensive rebuild. Dallas has aggressively addressed its biggest weakness through free agency. The only question left is whether that stops them from going back to the same position group in the draft, especially in the first round.