The Dallas Cowboys finished the 2025 season with a 7-9-1 record under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. While the team showcased one of the best offenses in the league, it also struggled with one of the worst defenses.
The team’s defense faced significant challenges, ranking 30th in total yards allowed (377.0), 23rd in rushing yards allowed (125.5), and last in both passing yards allowed (251.5) and points allowed (30.1).
Athlon Sports' Luke Easterling predicts that the Cowboys will address their struggles by selecting Tennessee Volunteers All-American cornerback Jermod McCoy. However, he carries a significant red flag: he missed the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL suffered during offseason workouts in January. At the NFL Combine, McCoy stated that he is now fully healthy and has no limitations.
(BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
"Dallas has a ton of needs on defense, but in this scenario, they’ve got a chance to fill the void left behind by Trevon Diggs’ rapid regression and subsequent departure last season," Easterling wrote. "McCoy is a tough prospect to project after he missed the entire 2025 season with a knee injury, but his 2024 tape shows an elite playmaker with high-level physical traits and ball skills that could make him a steal if he’s able to return to full strength."
McCoy’s fit in Dallas comes down to upside versus risk, and how much the Cowboys are willing to bet on traits over recent production. At his best, he profiles as the type of corner who can shadow top receivers and create turnovers, something this defense has been missing. His ball skills and physicality would immediately give Dallas a different presence on the outside.
The key question is how quickly he can return to form. If McCoy regains the explosiveness and confidence he showed prior to the injury, he could step into a significant role early and help stabilize a secondary that struggled to hold up in coverage. His ability to challenge receivers at the catch point and disrupt timing routes fits well with a defense that needs more aggression and playmaking.
In a best-case scenario, McCoy doesn’t just fill a hole; he becomes a foundational piece in the secondary. For a team trying to rebuild its defense quickly, that kind of payoff could be the difference between incremental improvement and a true turnaround.
