Jermod McCoy slipped to the fourth round—pick 101—and the Raiders took him anyway. The defensive end says his knee is fine after missing all of 2025 with a torn ACL, but here's the thing: teams don't let legitimate prospects tumble 100 picks because they're feeling optimistic about medical reports. McCoy's injury history scared off the rest of the league. Las Vegas is betting on a discount recovery project. Smart? Risky? Probably both.
For the Patriots, this is worth monitoring because the defensive end market just shifted. Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf are building a pass rush with Milton Williams, Dre'Mont Jones, and Niko Lalos carrying the load. A healthy McCoy would've challenged that group for reps, especially if released by Oakland down the line. Instead, New England dodged a bidding war and avoided overpaying for an unproven comeback story.
The real question is whether McCoy's knee holds up in a Raiders uniform. ACL recoveries in football aren't one-size-fits-all, and the difference between \"feels good\" in April and actually engaging in the trenches in September is massive. The Raiders are essentially gambling that a talented player fell through the cracks due to conservative medical timelines. Maybe they're right. Maybe McCoy proves doubters wrong and emerges as a steal. But the Patriots' front office wasn't willing to take that chance at a premium price—and that's disciplined roster building.
For now, New England's defensive line has clarity on its pecking order and cap situation. That's worth something in a rebuild where every dollar and draft pick matters. McCoy's Raiders stint will tell us whether teams were right to pass or just too risk-averse.