In a bit of a stunner we did not see coming, Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood was the first Vols playmaker taken in the NFL Draft, hearing his name called before Jermod McCoy. Hood, a former Colorado transfer, was taken in the second round by the New York Giants.
Tennessee pass-rusher labeled a steal after the 2026 NFL Draft
The G-Men are hoping to turn things around now that Brian Daboll has been fired and John Harbaugh has taken over. So, what will Hood be able to get done now that he's going to be playing at MetLife Stadium? GMEN HQ site expert Matt Sidney thinks the Giants made a brilliant pick, providing insights the Tennessee faithful surely are going to like.
"Colton Hood is a "press-man bully" and the perfect culture fit for Dennard Wilson’s defense,'" Sidney said. "After going 37th overall, the "pitbull" corner brings the tenacity needed to rebrand the Giants' secondary. His elite technique and aggressive style will immediately challenge for a starting job opposite Paulson Adebo."
Colton Hood should immediately compete for a starting job with the New York Giants
The fact that Hood is going to push for a starting job from Day 1 shouldn't be a surprise. Tennessee fans were only able to enjoy him for one season, but goodness, he made quite the impact for the Vols and head man Josh Heupel.
On the year, the standout corner posted 50 total tackles and one interception. Oh, and the interception was one to remember, as he took it back to the house. In the season-opener against Syracuse, he also had a scoop-and-score TD, which was downright electric:
COLTON HOOD SCOOP AND SCORE
— Barstool SEC (@SECBarstool) August 30, 2025
ALL VOLS IN ATLANTA pic.twitter.com/n94B7MOydK
Now that he's going to be playing in the NFC East, the pressure will be on for Hood to help the Giants finally get moving in the right direction. The defense has shown some promise in recent years, but the secondary has been far too inconsistent.
Deonte Banks, a former first-round pick, never lived up to the hype, which was disappointing. Moving forward, Hood wants to help the cornerbacks room take the next step, while also being a reliable DB for Harbaugh and Schoen. Hood has all the potential in the world to make noise in East Rutherford and he'll be looking to do so right away. He'll be ready to make the Tennessee faithful proud, no doubt.
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