Cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood had the full attention of the Dallas Cowboys scouts at Tennessee pro day.
After all, the Cowboys have two picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. They’re reportedly looking for an elite cornerback. And two of the best cornerbacks in this draft class stood side by side at the Vols indoor facility on March 31.
Notably, Cowboys defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley, the former Tennessee defensive coordinator, ran the drills for McCoy and Hood during pro day.
The good news for the Cowboys is that McCoy and Hood performed like first-round picks. The bad news for the Cowboys is that scouts for the other 31 NFL teams were in attendance to see the cornerbacks work out.
McCoy ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds, likely locking his name into the first round of the draft on April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. He showed no aftereffects of the ACL tear that had sidelined him since January 2025.
That time would’ve tied McCoy for the second-fastest among cornerbacks at the NFL scouting combine. He attended that event in Indianapolis in late February, but did not run the 40. He saved his speed for the familiar confines at Tennessee.
“It looked like Jermod out there,” UT coach Josh Heupel said. “He did a great job testing, which we all anticipated. It’s great to see him back at 100 percent.”
McCoy recorded a 38-inch vertical jump and 10 feet, 7 inches in the broad jump. Those numbers should prove to NFL scouts that he has recovered from his knee injury and confirm the first-round grade that his lone season at Tennessee already earned.
McCoy, a 6-foot-1, 188-pounder, earned All-America honors in 2024 at Tennessee. He sat out the 2025 season while recovering from the knee injury, which he suffered in an offseason training session.
Colton Hood eager to fulfill NFL dream at draft
Hood ran the 40 in 4.41 seconds, barely missing his goal of a sub-4.4. But the 6-foot, 193-pounder still has a reasonable shot of being a first-round pick. Most mock drafts place him in the mid-to-late first round.
“It’s been a dream. This is something that you dream about as a little kid,” Hood said. “I was that little kid in his room looking at the ceiling and thinking about what this could be.”
McCoy and Hood are regarded as two of the top three cornerbacks in this draft, along with LSU’s Mansoor Delane. All three are potential picks for the Cowboys, who have the 12th and 20th pick, according to numerous mock draft.
USA TODAY, ESPN’s Mel Kiper and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah are among the draft gurus who project the Cowboys to pick McCoy. CBS Sports and NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks think the Cowboys will take Hood. But Dallas is just one potential suitor among many.
Notably, McCoy and Hood never played together at Tennessee. McCoy missed the 2025 season with a knee injury, and Hood transferred to Tennessee from Colorado for one standout season.
“(Hood) is an athlete who does it the right way. He’s smart, tough, a relentless competitor, and he cares about the people around him,” Heupel said. “Look at his performance today and at the (NFL scouting) combine, he’s setting himself up for a great career.”
How many of 14 Tennessee players could be drafted?
McCoy and Hood were the headliners among 14 former Tennessee players who participated in pro day. Their NFL prospects range widely from potential first-round picks to undrafted free agents.
Wide receiver Chris Brazzell projects as a Day 2 or early Day 3 pick, ranging from the second to fourth rounds. The high-flying 6-4, 198-pounder earned All-America honors and was arguably the best wide receiver in the SEC. He had 62 receptions for 1,017 yards and nine TDs in 2025.
At pro day, Brazzell caught passes from quarterback Joey Aguilar, who’s recovering from a Jan. 2 surgery to remove a benign tumor on his throwing arm. Aguilar still has several weeks remaining in his rehab, but he hopes an NFL team at least invites him to training camp.
“I’m a little injured right now, but I’ll be healthy by the time a team picks me up,” said Aguilar, who passed for 3,565 yards and 24 TDs in 2025.
Outside linebacker Joshua Josephs is likely a mid-round pick. Defensive lineman Bryson Eason, tight end Miles Kitselman and defensive back Jalen McMurray are hoping to be late-round picks.
Defensive linemen Dominic Bailey, Tyre West and Jaxson Moi are also vying to get into an NFL camp, as well as safety Andre Turrentine, defensive back William Wright and running back Star Thomas. Their best shot may be as undrafted free agents or short-term camp invitees.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Jermod McCoy, Colton Hood are NFL Draft 2026 picks for Dallas Cowboys
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