Bucs land CBS Sports SEC cornerback in 2026 NFL Mock Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh in four days, a city where the Bucs could select the next star they add to their roster in hopes of righting the proverbial ship. Before that, however, there will be a lot of speculation and preparation for the team and who they could add to the roster during the draft. Fortunately, we now have some additional context for players now that the scouting combine has come and gone.

Josh Edwards of CBS Sports recently released the latest mock draft of the 2026 NFL cycle, which has the team going in a defensive direction. He projects they will land Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy with their 15th overall pick. Despite missing all of last season with a torn ACL, his 2024 tape is reason enough to be considered for this selection.

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Edwards explains McCoy’s selection, writing: “If Jermod McCoy’s physicals are clear, then he is one of the top five prospects in this class. After losing Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean in recent years, the Buccaneers replenish the slot. Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison would presumably compete for the other starting position.”

With the departure of Jamel Dean, this Bucs secondary has a big void. When they had Dean, they were still struggling in coverage, but the addition of McCoy would provide much-needed energy to the position group.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: NFL Mock Draft: Bucs projected Jermod McCoy ahead of Round 1