Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy tore his ACL during an offseason workout in his Texas hometown, Volquest’s Austin Price first reported on Wednesday.
The timeline to return from a torn ACL is typically six to nine months making McCoy’s status for the start of the 2025 season uncertain. Price reported that McCoy has already had surgery to repair the tear meaning his clock on returning has already begun.
An Oregon State transfer, McCoy was the breakout star of Tennessee’s defense in 2024. McCoy was a lockdown corner, totaling 44 tackles, seven pass breakups and four interceptions during his sophomore season.
A number of those interceptions came in big spots like when McCoy made a one-handed interception in the end zone against Alabama last season. McCoy also made an acrobatic interception in the end zone against Vanderbilt while also recording interceptions against Oklahoma and UTEP. McCoy tied Will Brooks for the team-best four interceptions last season.
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McCoy had the consistently strong play to backup his flashy interceptions during his sophomore season. His 89.6 PFF coverage grade ranked third amongst SEC corners last season while his 87.0 overall PFF grade ranked second amongst SEC corners.
Tennessee has its top three corners from 2024 returning for the 2025 season. Fellow sophomore Rickey Gibson III started across from McCoy this past season while Temple transfer Jalen McMurray also played consistent snaps.
If McCoy is unavailable to open the 2025 season then those two will almost certainly be Tennessee’s starters. Things get more dicey past them. At the moment, rising redshirt freshman Kaleb Beasley is likely the next man up at the spot.
Tennessee’s fourth corner in 2024 was Jordan Matthews and the rising sophomore transferred to Vanderbilt earlier this offseason.
The Vols open up their 2025 season against Syracuse in Atlanta. The Orange led the ACC in passing last season but starting quarterback Kyle McCord declared for the NFL Draft last week. Tennessee opens up SEC play in week three when they host Georgia at Neyland Stadium.
