New York Giants second-round cornerback Colton Hood stole the headlines during rookie minicamp on Saturday. The Tennessee standout, whom the Giants snagged at No. 37 overall after many projected him as a top-20 talent, wasted little time proving his talent to Big Blue. Hood’s debut showcased the ballhawk traits that could quickly earn him a spot in the starting lineup.
Colton Hood Made the “Play of the Day” at Rookie Minicamp on Saturday
Colton Hood, NFL: New York Giants Rookie Minicamp
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If rookie minicamp was meant to be an acclimation period, someone forgot to tell Colton Hood. The former Tennessee standout delivered what was described as the “play of the day” by Art Stapleton of Northjersey.com . Hood ripped the football away from RB Miles Davis mid-stride and spun away for what would have stood as a 55-yard pick-six, per Stapleton.
“I took it from him,” Hood said when describing the play after practice to the media (h/t SNY). “I gotta get paid, too.”
John Harbaugh is Impressed with Colton Hood
John Harbaugh, giants, NFL: Scouting Combine
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New head coach John Harbaugh expressed that he was impressed with Hood after the first two days of rookie minicamp. He sang the Tennessee product’s praises on Saturday.
“Loved him in press. He was at press corner. He was playing press out there with the other corners. He looked really good,” Harbaugh said (h/t Giants.com). “You saw him make a couple of plays. How about the interception in two minute? That was a nice play. He was good. He was good and diligent the whole time.”
The ability to perform in press coverage was Hood’s calling card in college. It is the trait that makes him such a perfect scheme fit in new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s scheme. Wilson’s mantra is to “press everything.”
The Giants’ Battle for CB2
Giants, Colton Hood, Greg Newsome II
Credit: Credit: Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Widely considered a first-round talent, Hood fell into the second round despite being ranked No. 21 in NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah’s top 150 list. At 6-foot and 193 pounds, Hood brings a rare blend of twitch and explosive athleticism, evidenced by his 40.5-inch vertical and 4.44-second 40-yard dash. In his lone season at Tennessee, he recorded 50 tackles, eight pass breakups, and two defensive touchdowns.
The rookie allowed only one touchdown catch on 451 coverage snaps last year, and his ability to surrender a meager 70.8 passer rating when targeted makes him a legitimate contender for a starting job.
The Giants also signed veteran CB Greg Newsome II this offseason. Newsome has experience, which could get him penciled down as the team’s CB2 opposite Paulson Adebo going into 2026. But if Hood continues to impress throughout the spring and summer, he could prove to be a legitimate threat to Newsome’s starting spot.
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Anthony Rivardo is the COO of Empire Sports Media and the host of Fireside Giants, a New York Giants ... More about Anthony Rivardo