Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood announces plans for 2026 season
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Tennessee star cornerback Colton Hood confirmed on Christmas Eve that he is leaving Knoxville and declaring for next spring’s NFL Draft.
That news was first reported by On3, but Hood confirmed the decision on social media on Wednesday afternoon.
“Thank you vol nation love yall!!” wrote Hood in saying goodbye to Tennessee and hello to a potentially fruitful career in the NFL.
Hood hopes to be as productive as a pro as he was in college. During his 3-season collegiate run, Hood piled up 77 tackles, 14 pass deflections, 3 interceptions and 1 forced fumble. He has a chance to be one of the first defensive backs taken in the 2026 draft.
The reality that Hood is indeed heading to the draft confirmed a CBS Sports report from last Friday night that Hood was leaving Knoxville for the pros. The redshirt sophomore was a 2nd-team all-SEC pick during a fantastic 2025 season that also saw him be a semifinalist for the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award.
According to that CBS Sports report, Hood is viewed as “an early round prospect” by NFL scouts. Hood is a Georgia native who starred at Tennessee during his final season as a college player. It was a whirlwind of a college career for Hood, who spent the 2024 season at Colorado and played his redshirt season at Auburn in 2023.
Now, he’s leaving Knoxville early with the desire to measure himself against the NFL’s best.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
