- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,129,325
- Reaction score
- 59
Cornerback Colton Hood came to Tennessee pro day hoping to run the 40-yard dash under 4.4 seconds to strengthen his case as a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He came just short of his first goal. He said his 40 was clocked at 4.41 seconds.
But Hood still has a reasonable shot of accomplishing his ultimate goal. The 6-foot, 193-pounder is among the top-rated cornerbacks in this draft class.
“It’s been a dream. This is something that you dream about as a little kid,” Hood said. “I was that little kid in his room looking at the ceiling and thinking about what this could be.”
Hood’s UT teammate, Jermod McCoy, stole much of the spotlight at the March 31 event, which was packed with scouts from all 32 NFL teams.
McCoy ran the 40 in 4.37 seconds and likely locked up a spot in the first round. But Hood isn’t far behind in most mock drafts as a potential first-rounder. Notably, the cornerbacks never played together at Tennessee because McCoy missed the 2025 season with a knee injury.
Hood ran the 40 in 4.44 seconds at the NFL scouting combine in late February. He shaved it down to 4.41 at this event. Now teams will continue to critique his game.
NFL scouts like Hood’s physical style of play and his coverage skills. But the question is whether he’s an elite first-rounder or a strong second-rounder.
Most NFL draft prognosticators agree that the Dallas Cowboys will select a cornerback in the first round. They have the 12th and 20th picks.
Hood and Tennessee teammate Jermod McCoy are both popular picks for the Cowboys. Here’s where Hood is projected in leading mock drafts.
Hood played one season each at Auburn, Colorado and Tennessee. In 2025, he turned into an All-SEC performer and one of college football’s best cornerbacks while filling in for the injured McCoy.
In 2025, Hood made 50 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception, eight pass breakups and two defensive TDs. His 83.3 coverage grade by Pro Football Focus ranked second among SEC cornerbacks in the regular season.
NFL scouts like Hood’s physicality and overall skillset. He has good speed, running the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds. He has good size at 6-foot, 193 pounds. He has a nose for the ball, demonstrated with his two defensive TDs.
Hood doesn’t shy away from contact. He excels in press-man coverage, and he plays a physical style against the run.
There aren’t many negatives in the scouting report on Hood. The big question is whether he’s a lockdown elite cornerback or a complementary cornerback. Either outcome projects him having a long NFL career, but the prior sets him apart as a first-round pick.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Colton Hood NFL Draft 2026 cornerback runs 40 at Tennessee pro day
Continue reading...
He came just short of his first goal. He said his 40 was clocked at 4.41 seconds.
But Hood still has a reasonable shot of accomplishing his ultimate goal. The 6-foot, 193-pounder is among the top-rated cornerbacks in this draft class.
“It’s been a dream. This is something that you dream about as a little kid,” Hood said. “I was that little kid in his room looking at the ceiling and thinking about what this could be.”
Hood’s UT teammate, Jermod McCoy, stole much of the spotlight at the March 31 event, which was packed with scouts from all 32 NFL teams.
McCoy ran the 40 in 4.37 seconds and likely locked up a spot in the first round. But Hood isn’t far behind in most mock drafts as a potential first-rounder. Notably, the cornerbacks never played together at Tennessee because McCoy missed the 2025 season with a knee injury.
Hood ran the 40 in 4.44 seconds at the NFL scouting combine in late February. He shaved it down to 4.41 at this event. Now teams will continue to critique his game.
NFL scouts like Hood’s physical style of play and his coverage skills. But the question is whether he’s an elite first-rounder or a strong second-rounder.
Colton Hood NFL draft projections
Most NFL draft prognosticators agree that the Dallas Cowboys will select a cornerback in the first round. They have the 12th and 20th picks.
Hood and Tennessee teammate Jermod McCoy are both popular picks for the Cowboys. Here’s where Hood is projected in leading mock drafts.
- No. 20 to Dallas Cowboys (CBS Sports; NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks)
- No. 26 to Buffalo Bills (The Athletic)
- No. 29 to Kansas City Chiefs (NFL.com’s Charles Davis and Daniel Jeremiah)
- No. 30 to Miami Dolphins (USA TODAY, ESPN’s Matt Miller)
- No. 32 to Seattle Seahawks (ESPN’s Mel Kiper; NFL.com’s Chad Reuter)
- No. 33 to New York Jets (ESPN’s Field Yates)
Colton Hood stats, strengths and weaknesses
Hood played one season each at Auburn, Colorado and Tennessee. In 2025, he turned into an All-SEC performer and one of college football’s best cornerbacks while filling in for the injured McCoy.
In 2025, Hood made 50 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception, eight pass breakups and two defensive TDs. His 83.3 coverage grade by Pro Football Focus ranked second among SEC cornerbacks in the regular season.
NFL scouts like Hood’s physicality and overall skillset. He has good speed, running the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds. He has good size at 6-foot, 193 pounds. He has a nose for the ball, demonstrated with his two defensive TDs.
Hood doesn’t shy away from contact. He excels in press-man coverage, and he plays a physical style against the run.
There aren’t many negatives in the scouting report on Hood. The big question is whether he’s a lockdown elite cornerback or a complementary cornerback. Either outcome projects him having a long NFL career, but the prior sets him apart as a first-round pick.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Colton Hood NFL Draft 2026 cornerback runs 40 at Tennessee pro day
Continue reading...
