PITTSBURGH — Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy’s extended wait for draft selection ended quickly on Saturday when the Las Vegas Raiders called his name.
The Raiders chose McCoy as their opening pick in the fourth round, betting on the defensive back’s ability to bounce back after sitting out the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL injury.
During his collegiate career spanning 25 games between Oregon State and Tennessee, McCoy recorded six interceptions. He started at Oregon State in 2023 before moving to Tennessee. The knee injury occurred during January 2025 offseason training, shortly after Tennessee’s College Football Playoff elimination.
“I was prepared for whatever happened, but, I mean, I would’ve been excited to go higher, for sure, because, I mean, I had a good pro day, ran some good times and just did good things like that,” McCoy said. “But, I mean, I was prepared for whatever happened. Because, I mean, it’s not in my control.”
Las Vegas desperately needs defensive playmakers after struggling to create turnovers during their disappointing 3-14 campaign in 2025. The Raiders managed only eight interceptions across 17 games last season, ranking 25th among the league’s 32 teams.
The selection creates an interesting reunion between McCoy and top overall draft choice Fernando Mendoza. McCoy’s initial collegiate interception came at Mendoza’s expense when McCoy played for Oregon State against Mendoza’s California team.
“It was probably one of the top moments in my life, my first college pick,” McCoy said. “We talked after that game too, just chopped it up a little bit … We got the best quarterback in college football and now going to be the best in the league.”
McCoy stated that watching three rounds pass without selection will motivate him as he works to recapture the performance level that had him projected as a potential first-round choice before his injury.
“I feel like I learned about myself, it’s just like, I feel like I’m super mentally strong,” he said. “I feel I’ve just been through a lot. I got a story that I’m still trying to tell.”
McCoy wasn’t alone in his comeback narrative.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, whose final season with the Tigers began with championship aspirations but ended in disappointment with a 7-6 record, was selected 110th overall by the New York Jets.
The draft’s concluding day commenced with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announcing to rain-drenched spectators outside Acrisure Stadium that Pittsburgh had established new attendance records for Thursday and Friday, with over 600,000 people gathering at the city’s North Shore and Point State Park.
Detroit holds the overall draft attendance record of 775,000 from 2025, though that milestone appeared threatened despite the morning’s persistent rainfall.
Many attendees came equipped with the iconic yellow Terrible Towels synonymous with the local Steelers franchise.
Pittsburgh’s four second-day selections all appeared on the stage positioned in the stadium’s northeast parking area, including former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, whose third-round selection caught some observers off guard.
“I’m really excited,” Allar said. “Enjoyed my four years at Penn State … But I’m really excited to represent Steeler fans and Steeler nation and really win a lot of games.”
Immediate success may prove challenging for Allar, who enters a quarterback competition featuring veteran Mason Rudolph and former Ohio State standout Will Howard, Pittsburgh’s 2025 sixth-round selection. The situation becomes more complex considering Aaron Rodgers could potentially return to the organization before serious 2026 season preparations begin.
