Former Tennessee defensive back Colton Hood distinguished himself as one of the best prospects in his position last season. Hood joined the Volunteers from the Colorado Buffaloes via the transfer portal after one season in Boulder and joined a secondary room that included fellow projected first-round pick Jermod McCoy, who missed the 2025 season with a torn AC.
Hood played under Colorado coach Deion Sanders for one season, showing flashes of his potential before exploding under Tennessee coach Josh Heupel last season.
What Colton Hood Learned From Coach Prime
During Tuesday’s segment of the “Nightcap” show, Hood revealed the lessons that he learned at Colorado while playing for Coach Prime, who was also one of the best cornerbacks to ever play in the NFL.
“Honestly, I think the biggest thing that I learned from Coach Prime was how important watching film could be for you,” Hood said. “He would harp on film watch. I would watch film before, but the intent that he taught us how to watch it, I think could take someone’s game from being good to being great.”
Before he joined Colorado, Hood played for the Auburn Tigers, taking a redshirt year before entering the portal and being a huge part of Coach Prime’s Buffs, who went 9-4 in the 2024 season.
In his sole season in Tennessee, Hood tallied 50 tackles, 8 passes defended, 1 interception, and 1 fumble returned for a touchdown, earning an impressive PFSN College Cornerback Impact score of 87.5.
The talented prospect, who is the nephew of former NFL cornerback Roderick Hood, has received first-round hype in several mock drafts and is one of 16 players invited to attend the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh later this month.
In his latest mock draft, PFSN analyst Reese Decker predicted that the Kansas City Chiefs would utilize their No. 29 pick on Hood on draft night to help improve their defense next season.
“The Chiefs are in the midst of a complete overhaul in the secondary, and Colton Hood could immediately bolster the unit. If not for an underwhelming Senior Bowl performance, he likely wouldn’t still be on the board here.
“Hood is a physical, lockdown corner who plays with comfort and poise in coverage. He consistently positions himself well, has the range to cover sideline to sideline, and brings strength and physicality in run support.”
The Chiefs are light in the defensive backs department after they lost defensive backs Jaylen Watson, Trent McDuffie, and Joshua Williams in free agency, heightening their need for a talent like Hood.
