Mel Kiper Ranks Best Prospects Available on Big Board for 2026 NFL Draft Day 3

Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy is ranked as the best prospect still available after Day 2 of the 2026 NFL draft by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.

McCoy headlines the list of Kiper's top 10 remaining prospects heading into Sunday's fourth round.

1. Jermod McCoy: CB, Tennessee
2. Kyle Louis: S/LB, Pittsburgh
3. Dani Dennis-Sutton: Edge, Penn State
4. Mike Washington Jr.: RB, Arkansas
5. Malik Muhammad: CB, Texas
6. Brenen Thompson: WR, Mississippi State
7. Keith Abney II: CB, Arizona State
8. Connor Lew: C, Auburn
9. Keionte Scott: CB, Miami
10. Jalen Farmer: G, Kentucky

McCoy, who was considered a projected first-round pick after recording four interceptions for Tennessee in 2024, missed last season after suffering an ACL tear in January 2025.

Although McCoy didn't work out at the NFL scouting combine, he ran what Tennessee reported was a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at his program's pro day.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported earlier this week McCoy's ACL is "fine," but that teams have concerns about "a bone plug that was used to repair a cartilage defect in his knee."

Some doctors who have seen his scans feel he will need to replace that plug with another surgery necessitating an "extensive recovery," Rapoport reported.

ESPN's Adam Schefter added Saturday that "people think he can step in and impact a roster right away, but there are questions about [McCoy] longevity in the league."

Pitt linebacker/safety Louis is ranked second on Kiper's list, but Kiper noted that "teams will have to figure out where to play him."

"He's a hybrid, but in the right system, a defensive coordinator could line Louis up as a box safety, an off-ball linebacker, at outside linebacker, in the slot and over the top," Kiper reported.

Kiper also highlighted Mississippi State wideout Thompson, who led all runners at the February combine with a 4.26-second 40-yard dash, as someone he thought might be a Day 2 pick "not only for his slot ability but also for his returner skill set."

Day 3 of the 2026 NFL draft begins with Round 4 at noon ET on Saturday in Pittsburgh. The Buffalo Bills are first on the clock with pick No. 101.