“A double-dip at cornerback for the Rams?” Yates wrote. “And from the same college?! This would be the first instance of a team taking two players from the same school at the same position in the first round during the common draft era (since 1967), per ESPN Research.
“But I believe this move merits consideration given the overall strength of the Rams’ roster and the vulnerability of their secondary.”
ESPN’s Matt Miller earlier this week had both players going in the first 13 picks of his mock draft, with McCoy at No. 11 to the Miami Dolphins and Hood at No. 13 to the Rams.
2026 NFL Draft: April 23-25, Pittsburgh
McCoy is ranked as the No. 16 overall prospect and the No. 1 corner in the NFL Draft according to Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board. The longtime ESPN draft analyst has Hood as the No. 6 cornerback, Chris Brazzell as the No. 6 wide receiver and Joshua Josephs as the No. 5 outside linebacker.
McCoy, Hood, Brazzell, Josephs, Miles Kitselman and Bryson Eason on Wednesday were among the 319 players that received invites to the NFL Scouting Combine February 23-March 2 in Indianapolis.
McCoy was projected as a top-10 pick and the No. 1 corner off the board over the summer, before missing all of the 2025 season after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January.
“McCoy is a wild card,” Yates wrote. “He is clearly talented enough to go in the top 10, but he missed the entire 2025 season after tearing an ACL last January. He’s a long, confident and talented man-to-man cover corner who stood out in 2024 (four interceptions and seven passes defensed). If his medicals are fully on track, he’ll go early.”
‘Hood more than made up for McCoy’s void’ at Tennessee
McCoy was a star during the 2024 season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee.
“Los Angeles learned the hard way last season,” Yates added, “that a strong front seven can’t neutralize a capable passing game — Jaxon Smith-Njigba combined for 354 receiving yards in three matchups against the Rams.”
Hood had a breakout season for the Vols out of the NCAA Transfer Portal after transferring from Colorado. He had 50 tackles, eight passes defended and an interception and fumble returned for a touchdown.
He had 24 tackles and six passes defended at Colorado in 2024, after starting his college career at Auburn in 2023.
“Hood didn’t actually take any snaps on the field with McCoy,” Yates wrote, “as he transferred to Tennessee prior to the 2025 season that McCoy sat out due to injury. But Hood more than made up for McCoy’s void with 10 pass breakups this past season.”
