College football insider shares update on one of the Tennessee Vols’ most important players
The Tennessee Vols will be without a couple of key players when they take on Illinois in the Music City Bowl.
The Tennessee Vols will be without several key players when they take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.
Junior linebacker Arion Carter, junior cornerback Jermod McCoy, and redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Brazzell have each already announced their intentions to enter the 2026 NFL Draft and opt out of the Music City Bowl.
College football insider gives the latest on Vols cornerback Colton Hood
Redshirt sophomore cornerback Colton Hood is another Tennessee player who’s expected to opt out of the bowl game and enter the 2026 NFL Draft.
CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported on Friday that the current expectation is for Hood to declare for the draft.
Hood, who transferred from Colorado to Tennessee this past spring, was an important player for the Vols in 2025. The Georgia native did an elite job of “filling in” for McCoy, who missed the entire season while recovering from a torn ACL.
Earlier this month, Hood was listed as a late first-round pick in a 2026 NFL Mock Draft from ESPN.
“Hood has some areas to clean up with his technique, but there’s an infectious energy that you see every time you watch him play,” wrote ESPN’s Field Yates. “He posted 10 pass breakups this season — his first with Tennessee after spending one season at Colorado and his freshman year at Auburn. Hood loves the challenge of man coverage and can be an aggressive player in run support.”
With McCoy and Hood moving on to the NFL, the expectation is that Ty Redmond and Rickey Gibson will serve as the Vols’ starting cornerbacks in 2026. Tennessee, however, would still be wise to pursue a cornerback in the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2.
Tennessee Volunteers News
‘I do expect him to play’ – Vols insider gives the latest on key Tennessee player ahead of the Music City Bowl
Several key Tennessee Vols players have already opted out of the Music City Bowl.
