Colton Hood has made headlines at the NFL Combine, but not for his on-field performance. When the former Tennessee Vol cornerback was meeting with the media, he was asked about the difference between Josh Heupel and Deion Sander. This is what Hood said:
"I won't really get into the differences, I would say, like at Tennessee coach Heupel, he definitely cared about his players, he did his best to keep us healthy, and get us to Saturday. So he did a great job with that, ya know? He's just a great coach, a players' coach, I love coach Heupel for sure."
Tennessee CB Colton Hood on the differences between Deion Sanders and Josh Heupel@AtoZSportsNFL pic.twitter.com/78mon2SxXE
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) February 26, 2026
Colton Hood throws shade at Deion Sanders
Hood’s comment about Heupel keeping players healthy hints at a potential contrast with his experience under Deion Sanders. Is Hood suggesting that Sanders made him play while hurt and didn't have the team ready? His remarks suggest he valued Tennessee’s player-first approach over his time at Colorado. The Buffaloes went 9-4 during his time in Boulder, and he played alongside Travis Hunter, but based on his comments, it sounds like he had a rather not-so-good experience playing under Sanders.
The encouraging part is that despite having a worse record in 2025 at Tennessee, he seemed to enjoy his time in Knoxville much more and had a strong connection with the staff. That says a lot about the culture being built behind the scenes.
Joshua Josephs also praised the coaching staff, specifically Rodney Garner, who now makes multiple former Vols publicly show love to the program. With both Garner and Josh Heupel receiving that kind of support, it speaks volumes about the respect they’ve earned inside the locker room.
During Hood's one year at Tennesse ehe tore up the stat sheet and filled in well for Heupel when Jermod McCoy went down with an ACL tear. Don't be shocked if Hood is drafted in the first round. He is on the fringe of a top-32 pick, but with a good week at the NFL combine, he could solidify himself as a first-round pick this April. Hood also mentioned that he is meeting with the Dallas Cowboys for a formal interview tonight, and they have the No. 12 overall pick.
This sets the stage for a significant week for Hood, and with a good week at the Tennessee Pro Day, he can make his way into a very good spot come April.