If there has been a medical theme around the Raiders over the last few months, there’s no question it involves knees, and more specifically… the meniscus cartilage within the knee.
Maxx Crosby’s recovering meniscus is what apparently inspired the Baltimore Ravens to back out of a trade for Crosby in March, and now the Raiders have welcomed a new meniscus issue into the locker room.
Jermod McCoy would have been a first round pick in this week’s draft if not for a knee injury he suffered 15 months ago.
McCoy sat out the entire 2025 college season and wasn’t drafted until the Raiders took him off the board with the first pick of the fourth round.
There has been a lot of discussion around McCoy’s knee in the last few months, so let’s take a look at what has been reported on McCoy and his knee in the last few days.
Mike Renner of CBS Sports listed McCoy as the no. 6 overall prospect in the draft… if he’s healthy.
There’s no question McCoy has the talent to be a great defensive back in the NFL, and Renner said he would actually project the junior defensive back even higher than no. 6 if he was guaranteed to be at full strength.
“McCoy’s sophomore tape was nothing short of elite. Between his size, physicality, man coverage skills and ball skills, he looked like the total package,” Renner wrote this week. “Then he tore his ACL last January, and we haven’t seen him play football since. If you promise me I’m getting the corner we saw before the injury, McCoy would be even higher on this list.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the issue with McCoy is more about his long-term future in the NFL.
“Obviously, a defensive back fell last year in Will Johnson, and now we have another situation where the Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy has fallen into the second round,” Schefter said on Friday. “He clearly is a first-round talent but suffered a knee injury where he tore his ACL, underwent surgery and obviously there are some teams that have some concerns about that knee right now. People think he can step in and impact a roster right away, but there are questions about his longevity in the league.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer said before McCoy’s knee issues, he would have been one of the top cornerbacks in the 2026 draft.
“The surgery Jermod McCoy had was similar to a microfracture (they don’t really do microfractures anymore),” Breer tweeted on Saturday. “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.”
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero explained the procedure McCoy underwent last year, says McCoy believes he will be at full strength in 2026.
“Jermod McCoy has certainly drawn a lot of scrutiny from NFL medical people in the pre-draft process and there is a possibility that he is going to slip in the draft because of the knee that kept him out last season,” Pelissero said prior to the draft.
“Let’s talk about this is and what it is not,” Pelissero continued. “It’s not the ACL that he had reconstructed. My understanding is the ACL is fine. All the scans look good. The concern is about a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee. Some of the doctors that have seen his scans are concerned that he will need another surgery to replace that bone plug which would be an extensive recovery.”
“We know this… McCoy feels good. He certainly looked it. Ran really well at his pro day. In his mind, he is fully anticipating being ready to roll in the 2026 season. But you’ve got 32 team doctors [and] 32 degrees of risk tolerance. Everybody is looking at this. This is a top 10 talent that could potentially not go that high.”
What is a bone plug?
From Scooby Axson at USA Today, a bone plug is a technique many times used in knee replacements.
“A bone plug is used in ACL reconstruction that transplants bone and cartilage, and is used to repair cartilage or meniscus tears. The technique is also used in knee replacements,” Axson reported earlier this month.
“According to New York University Langone, doctors, the procedure involves ‘obtaining a plug of bone and healthy cartilage from a nonessential, non–weight-bearing area of the knee with a similar coring tool. The surgeon then inserts the bone and cartilage plug into the defect area, creating a smooth joint surface.'”
x: @raidersbeat
AWFUL PICK.
SPYTEK LOVES DEAFTING CATASTROPHICALLY INJURED PLAYERS.
Go to sleep junior. It’s past your life cycle.
You’re about as enlightened as a broken lamp.
Doctors told McCoy if he needs a second surgery to replace the bone plug he’ll never play a snap of football again in his life.
You know everything don’t you. I suppose you sat in on the examination. Go play with Chip Kelly. Pretty sure he needs a friend about right now. Your nose will fit perfectly between his cheeks
You know it all don’t you. I suppose you sat in on the examination. Why don’t you go play with Chip Kelly. Pretty sure he needs a friend about right now, and your nose will fit perfectly between his cheeks.
Yes, I said it twice on purpose. Maybe it’ll sink into that thick bone. But I doubt it.
A 7th round pick and moving one spot? This was the steal of the draft if we only get one good season from him. I hope he rises above his chronic status. For him and the teams need for a true shutdown corner.