The University of Tennessee's secondary is going to be a major talking point on the opening night of the 2026 NFL Draft. Two cornerbacks, Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood, are both firmly in the conversation as likely first-round picks, and the Kansas City Chiefs have been connected to both in mock drafts. It turns out that Hood, especially, has a clear path to Arrowhead.
The Chiefs are allotted 30 prospect visits before the start of each draft, and one of those went to Hood as general manager Brett Veach and the Chiefs front office wanted the chance to spend more time with him. Hood's visit only adds fuel to the fire already burning in the wake of recent mock draft submissions.
The Chiefs have two first-round selections—at No. 9 overall and again at No. 29—thanks to the trade of cornerback Trent McDuffie to the L.A. Rams. That very selection late in the first might be the one used to import Hood, which is what Mel Kiper Jr.'s final mock draft predicts with Hood as the Chiefs' pick at No. 29.
Colton Hood has multiple connections with the Chiefs leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft.
Hood stepped up for the Vols in a big wya in '25 with McCoy on the shelf with a torn ACL. After transferring from Colorado, Hood's performance in SEC play earned him a greater spotlight than ever before. Given his status as a likely first-round choice, Hood opted out of playing in the Music City Bowl against Illinois in late December and declared himself eligible for the draft as an early entrant.
Hood had 50 total tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, 8 deflections, and 1 interception last season for the Volunteers. He played a heavy load with 775 total snaps and he earned a solid 79.2 grade via Pro Football Focus. He's got a strong body of work as a physical man corner who should live outside in the Chiefs' secondary for years to come, if drafted.
Looking back, it will be interesting to see if the Chiefs go with players they've visited with or whether such acts are a smokescreen for what they really want to do. But for now, Hood looks like a very solid bet to go to Kansas City if he's still available when Veach is back on the clock near the bottom of the first.
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