Tennessee Vols cornerback Colton Hood found himself in the spotlight at the NFL Combine, sparking conversation with comments that seemed to cast a shadow on his former Colorado head coach, the legendary Deion Sanders.
When asked to compare his experiences under Sanders and Tennessee's Josh Heupel, Hood chose his words carefully. "I won't really get into the differences," he said.
"At Tennessee, coach Heupel definitely cared about his players, did his best to keep us healthy, and got us to Saturday. He's just a great coach, a players' coach.
I love coach Heupel for sure."
However, Hood soon took to social media to clarify his intentions, aiming to dispel any misunderstandings from his earlier remarks. He tweeted, "By no means was I throwing shade at Colorado or coach Prime. I said before I wouldn’t get into differences and proceeded to only talk about my previous school, as I assumed that was the best way to go about answering the question."
This was a savvy move by Hood to address any potential misinterpretations. His comments never directly criticized Sanders, but the initial impression left some room for speculation.
Hood's perspective is clear: the past is behind him, and his current focus is on elevating his draft stock. With the combine underway, minimizing distractions is crucial for him to showcase his skills.
Hood is poised to make a strong case as a first-round pick. His performance in the 40-yard dash and cornerback drills will be pivotal, as many teams are on the lookout for secondary talent. Known for his prowess in man coverage and physicality in press situations, Hood is not one to shy away from the gritty aspects of the game.
Despite the buzz, Hood seems ready to shine and make his mark this weekend.