(Editor’s Note: While the start of the 2026 NFL Draft isn’t until late April, it’s never too early to profile some of the key participants. The staff of DallasCowboys.com intends to preview the landscape of the draft’s top prospects, with an emphasis on possible Cowboys draft picks – from the first round to the last. Today’s featured player is Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood.)
Name: Colton HoodPosition: CornerbackCollege: TennesseeHeight/Weight: 5’11 5/8″, 193Did You Know? Hood comes from a football family, and a very experienced football family at that. Hood’s father, uncle, three of his brothers and two cousins all had experience playing college football. Hood’s uncle, Roderick, played cornerback at Auburn, where Hood began his college career, and went on to play nine years in the NFL from 2003-2011.
Where He’s Projected:
As the draft process has gone along and Hood has participated in the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine work, he’s steadily began to climb draft boards and is now expected to be a mid-to-late first-round pick and could very well be in play for the Cowboys with the 20th overall pick.
How He Helps the Cowboys:
The Cowboys have made several additions at cornerback in free agency with Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick joining the unit, and the addition of Hood would only continue to raise the floor of the entire unit. Hood is a strong press-man corner who attacks downfield like a safety and has no fear going up against bigger players downhill. Hood is one of the better run defending corners in the class, and that paired with his ability to make things difficult for receivers off the line of scrimmage is an intriguing play style and one that could fit perfectly into what new Cowboys DC Christian Parker is looking to bring into his secondary. Parker has had a strong track record with first-round cornerbacks, as Denver’s Pat Surtain and Philadelphia’s Cooper DeJean have become All-Pro players under his watch.
Final Thoughts:
Throughout the draft process, a lot of attention has gone to Hood’s teammate and fellow Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy. Not that the attention isn’t warranted, as McCoy could be a top corner in this class if healthy, but Hood’s 2025 season with McCoy sidelined softened the blow for the Volunteers’ secondary. Going into his rookie season, Hood will still be just 21 years old and has only started in 13 games, while playing in 29 in three years at three different schools. There may be some growing pains at times, but Hood still has just as much room for growth and can continue to develop into a more and more reliable option as an outside corner.