With the NFL season officially in the books, the spotlight now shifts to the next big event on the football calendar: the 2025 NFL Draft. The first-round order is locked in, and with that comes a fresh wave of analysis, speculation, and mock drafts. For Tennessee fans, this year’s draft cycle brings a rare and exciting possibility - not one, but potentially two Volunteers hearing their names called on Day 1.
Leading the charge is Jermod McCoy, a cornerback whose stock has remained remarkably steady despite missing the entire 2025 season with a torn ACL. That’s a testament to just how dominant his sophomore tape was.
McCoy’s blend of instincts, fluidity, and man coverage skills had scouts buzzing long before the injury, and now, as the draft process heats up, he’s still being talked about as a potential Top 15 pick. That’s no small feat for a player who hasn’t suited up in over a year.
In CBS Sports’ latest post-Super Bowl mock draft, McCoy lands at No. 12 overall to the Dallas Cowboys - a team that could use a lockdown corner and might be ready to lean more heavily on man coverage under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. If McCoy’s medicals check out and he looks sharp in pre-draft workouts, don’t be surprised if he ends up as the first corner off the board.
Right now, that distinction is still up for grabs. LSU’s Mansoor Delane is another top-tier prospect at the position, and he’s projected to go one spot ahead of McCoy at No. 11 to Miami.
It’s shaping up to be a classic draft-room debate: Delane’s recent production vs. McCoy’s elite upside and pre-injury tape.
Team preference and medical evaluations will ultimately tip the scales.
Then there’s Colton Hood - the breakout name that’s been climbing boards all winter. After transferring from Colorado and stepping into a starting role at Tennessee, Hood made the most of his lone season in Knoxville. Elevated to CB1 status after Rickey Gibson III went down early in the year, Hood didn’t just hold his own - he thrived.
Fifty tackles, a forced fumble, a recovery, a pick, and two defensive touchdowns later, Hood has turned himself into a legitimate first-round candidate. He’s now slotted at No. 18 overall to the Minnesota Vikings in the same CBS mock. What stands out about Hood is his physicality at the line and his top-end speed - traits that are highly coveted in today’s NFL, especially in a conference loaded with elite wideouts.
It’s been 16 years since Tennessee last had two players taken in the first round - back in 2010, when Eric Berry went fifth overall and Dan Williams followed at No. 26. That drought might be coming to an end this April.
Wide receiver Chris Brazzell could still make a push into the first-round conversation with a strong pre-draft process, but for now, McCoy and Hood are the names to watch. Both have earned their spots in the early-round conversation, and both have a chance to represent the Vols on one of the NFL’s biggest stages.
The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday, April 23. Between now and then, expect plenty of movement on draft boards - but as it stands today, Tennessee is in position to make some serious noise.