Defensive players Jermod McCoy, Joshua Josephs, and Tyre West were chosen on the last day of the 2026 NFL Draft, bringing Tennessee’s total to five picks over the three-day event, according to an April 25 announcement.
The selection of these players is significant as it ties a record for most picks in a single draft during Josh Heupel’s tenure as head coach. This matches the five selections made by Tennessee in both the 2022 and 2023 drafts. In total, twenty-two Volunteers have been drafted since Heupel took over before the 2022 NFL Draft.
Las Vegas traded up to select McCoy with the first pick of Saturday’s fourth round at No. 101 overall. Josephs was taken in the fifth round at pick No. 141 by Washington, while West went in the seventh round at No. 222 to Detroit. McCoy will reunite with former teammate Dont’e Thornton Jr., who played his rookie season with Las Vegas after being drafted last year.
“He’s part of the reason why I had the season I had, just guarding him every day and making me better,” McCoy said about Thornton Jr. “And then I feel like the same with me, him having to go against me, I’m making him also better. I think getting to do that again is just going to improve both of our games.” Josephs reflected on his own standards: “I set standards high for myself, so I feel I will be able to make a dominant impact on that field and contribute to the success of our team,” he said Saturday afternoon.
Tennessee was notable for being one of only two programs nationwide—alongside Washington—to produce multiple cornerback selections through pick No. 101 this year; Colton Hood was selected by New York Giants in Friday’s second round at No. 37 overall—the highest Vol defensive back selection since Eric Berry went fifth overall in 2010.
West became Detroit’s twenty-fourth all-time draft pick from Tennessee—more than any other NFL franchise has selected from UT—and played all four years for Tennessee before participating in postseason showcase games such as The American Bowl and Senior Bowl.
The broader trend shows Tennessee maintaining strong draft presence under Heupel: they have produced at least five draftees three times out of five recent drafts and achieved multiple top-150 picks consistently alongside SEC peers Alabama, Georgia, and LSU—a feat accomplished only twice between 2008-21 prior to Heupel’s arrival.
