NFL Draft analyst gives an eye-opening update on Tennessee CB Colton Hood at the Senior Bowl
The VFL ended up turning more heads among his peers than any other cornerback in attendance.
Tennessee Vols cornerback Colton Hood was a pleasant surprise in 2025 for UT fans in his lone season in Knoxville. The Colorado transfer stepped into a big role with Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson III out with injuries and performed admirably in their stead.
So well, in fact, that he started to earn first round consideration in mock drafts by the end of the season. And now, with the most popular college football All-Star game in our rearview mirror, his name is starting to buzz even louder in draft circles.
That includes The Athletic’s NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler, who spoke with Crown Global Media regarding his observations at the Senior Bowl.
Per Brugler, Hood was the cornerback that the most wide receivers during Senior Bowl week said was the toughest to face.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler said Colton Hood was the most repeated name among Senior Bowl wide receivers as the toughest cornerback to face
“I thought that Colton Hood did a nice job down here, the other Tennessee corner,” Brugler said. “Didn’t practice the third day, but the first two days, I thought — you know, at every all-star event, if you’re a corner, you’re going to have your misses. You’re going to have your losses. It’s just a volatile position by nature.
“But I thought he more than held his own. Showed why he is one of the top corners in this draft. I always love talking to these guys. Talking to players at the Shrine Bowl. Talking to players at the Senior Bowl. I’m always asking them, ‘who’s the toughest guy you’ve gone against this year?’ When I talk to receivers, I had more tell me Colton Hood than any other player just because of how big he is, how fluid he is, and just his ability to compete at the catch point. So, I think Colton Hood is right up there.”
That’s quite the hat tip for a player to receive. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have the respect of the players you’ve gone up against, and it sounds like Hood earned that from those he was locked up with this week in Mobile, Alabama.
Hood certainly made plays for Tennessee’s defense during the regular season, but it wasn’t just in coverage, where he had an 80.3 Pro Football Focus coverage mark. It was also in run support, where he had an 83.4 tackling grade, which was the second-highest mark on the team. He had a 6.6% missed tackle rate, which is stellar.
Hood has the look of a complete cornerback with the Senior Bowl in the rearview mirror. If he can put together a strong showing at the NFL Combine at the end of February, he could find himself close to a lock to hear his name called on the first night of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh on April 23.
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