From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Tennessee CB Colton Hood.
No. 8 Colton Hood/CB Tennessee – 6-0, 195 pounds (Redshirt Sophomore)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Colton Hood 6-0/195 N/A N/A N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
THE GOOD
– Good size and bulk, looks bigger than listed frame
– Physical press corner at his best when he gets hands on early
– Good speed and fluidity to turn and run
– Consistently sheds blocks to defend perimeter/screen passing game
– Good tackler in open field and supports the run, takes on pullers
– Flashes impressive hit power
– Experienced in bail technique and played variety of assignments and calls
– Closes space quickly underneath in coverage
– Plasters throughout route
– Experience playing both outside spots
The Bad
– Prone to being late with eyes and being beaten because of it, especially on double moves
– Lacks experience in slot
– Must improve strike off line of scrimmage
– Effort will wane when others are around to make tackle, tends to slow up
– Gets grabby at top of route when beat
– Took lumps against top matchups
– Hasn’t logged a ton of snaps and is just a one-year starter; relatively new to position overall
Stats
– Career: 77 tackles (5.5 TFL), 14 PDs, 3 INTs, 1 FF across 29 games (13 starts)
– 2025: 50 tackles (4.5 TFL), 8 PDs, 1 INT, 1 FF across 12 games
– 1,150 career defensive snaps
– 2025: 827 defensive snaps (399 LCB, 324 RCB, 13 slot CB)
– 61 slot snaps in 2024
– 265 career special teams snaps (206 in 2024 across five units)
– PFF: No. 41 overall defensive 2025 grade (No. 41 coverage, No. 186 run defense grade) of 273 qualifiers
– Six career penalties (four in 2025)
– Allowed 1 TD, 1 INT in 2025
– Had 36.7 percent missed tackles rate in 2024, reduced to 6.6 percent in 2025 (26th best of 273 qualifiers)
– Played offense and defense in high school: 647 receiving yards, 279 passing yards, 176 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns senior year, with three interceptions and three return TDs (two punts, one kick)
Injury History
– 2025: Didn’t finish Kentucky game due to pulled calf muscle, but played following week against Oklahoma
– 2025: healthy but opted out of bowl game against Illinois
Bio
– Turned 21 in February 2026
– Three-star recruit from McDonough, Georgia
– Began career at Auburn, transferred to Colorado for 2024, and again to Tennessee for 2025
– Three-year college career, automatically redshirted after appearing in just four games at Auburn in 2023
– Chose Auburn over Michigan State, Clemson, Boston College and several other schools; initially committed to Michigan State but flipped, calling Auburn his “dream school”
– Father and uncle played for Tigers, and he wanted to follow in their footsteps; Uncle, Roderick, played DB in NFL from 2003-2011
– Transferred to Colorado to join brother, Brandon and “idol” Deion Sanders; cousin Trent later joined Buffalos
– Colton and Brandon left Colorado after one season (Brandon attended UMass)
– Backed up Travis Hunter at Colorado and recorded first interception replacing an injured Hunter against Kansas State
– Served as rotational/backup at Colorado, mainly playing in passing situations
– Didn’t begin playing defense until junior year of high school
– Played baseball in high school and credits it for helping him track the ball in football
– 3.6 high school GPA
– 2026 Senior Bowl participant
Tape Breakdown
Colton Hood followed in his family’s footsteps to Auburn before spending a year backing up at Colorado and starting at Tennessee for the 2025 season. Though just a one-year starter, Hood is an intriguing prospect. Well put together, he’s a physical player at his best when rolled up and pressing at the line of scrimmage. It turned heads in 1v1 drills at the Senior Bowl and translates to full 11-on-11.
That’s especially felt in this clip against Alabama WR Ryan Williams. Unfortunately, I don’t have an All-22 review, but you can spot it at the bottom of the screen.
Hill can open it up and turn and run in coverage. As a tackler and run supporter, he’s willing as first man in and provides power. His 4.5 tackles for loss in 2025 suggest that.
Negatively, Hood simply doesn’t have a ton of tape. A backup in 2023 at Auburn, he was likely going to start for the Tigers in 2024, but transferred to become a backup at Colorado. He found a role for the Vols in 2025, partially because Jermod McCoy’s ACL injury kept him out all season.
While he had the above good rep against Williams, he also took his lumps. He was beaten for a long catch and was called for PI against him at the top of the route.
Conclusion
Overall, Colton Hood is a little raw but has the physical tools NFL teams look for in a top-end cornerback. A strong Senior Bowl week offered a glimpse into what he can offer at the next level, and there’s a lot to like for a team patient enough to develop him. He’s effectively only been playing cornerback since 2021.
My NFL comp is Charvarius Ward, another press corner.
NFL Projection: Late Round One-Early Day Two
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 8.5 (Long-time Starter)
Grade Range: 7.9-9.1
Games Watched: vs Kansas State (2024), at Kentucky (2025), vs Oklahoma (2025), at Florida (2025), at Alabama (2025)
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