It’s been a minute since Tennessee football made waves in the first round of the NFL Draft with more than one player. In fact, you’d have to go back to 2010 to find the last time the Vols pulled that off. But in 2026, that drought might finally be over - and it’s thanks to a pair of standout corners who never even shared the field in Knoxville.
Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood both turned heads during their time on Rocky Top, earning All-SEC honors in back-to-back seasons. Now, they’re turning the heads of NFL evaluators, too.
In his first mock draft of the season, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah projects both McCoy and Hood to come off the board within the first 12 picks. That’s not just a statement about their individual talent - it’s a sign that Tennessee’s defensive pipeline is heating up in a big way.
Let’s start with McCoy. After transferring from Oregon State in 2024, he wasted no time making his presence felt in the SEC.
As a sophomore, he posted nine pass breakups, four interceptions, and quickly established himself as one of the conference’s premier cover corners. His instincts, footwork, and ball skills made him a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
But just as his stock was rising, McCoy’s path took a detour. A torn ACL during offseason workouts sidelined him for the entire 2025 campaign - a tough blow for both him and Tennessee’s secondary. Still, the tape from 2024 remains strong enough that Jeremiah has him slotted at No. 10 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Cincinnati needs help all over the field on defense,” Jeremiah noted. “McCoy missed the 2025 season due to an ACL injury, but his 2024 tape was outstanding. He’s squarely in the mix to be the top CB in the draft.”
That’s high praise, and it speaks to just how impactful McCoy was in his lone season with the Vols. Even with the injury, his potential as a lockdown corner remains firmly intact.
Enter Colton Hood - the next man up, and another transfer who made an immediate impact. Tennessee brought him in during the spring transfer window after McCoy went down, and Hood delivered in a big way. The Colorado transfer - who spent 2024 backing up Heisman winner Travis Hunter and contributing on special teams - stepped into a starting role and didn’t miss a beat.
Hood racked up 50 tackles, eight pass breakups, 4.5 tackles for loss, and added two defensive touchdowns for good measure. He showed versatility, physicality, and a knack for making big plays in big moments. It’s no surprise that SEC coaches took notice, awarding him all-conference honors.
Now, he’s projected to go No. 12 overall to the Dallas Cowboys - a team that could use immediate help in the secondary.
“I expect Dallas to draft an edge rusher in Round 1 (SEE: Pick No. 20 in this mock), but I’d like to see the Cowboys upgrade the secondary, too,” Jeremiah wrote. “Hood would be a plug-and-play starter for them.”
That’s exactly the kind of praise that gets teams thinking about using a top pick on a corner - not just for potential, but for day-one impact.
It’s worth noting that McCoy and Hood never actually shared the field for Tennessee. One’s arrival came on the heels of the other’s injury.
But together, they could represent Tennessee’s first pair of first-rounders in the same draft in 16 years. And their early declarations last month only reinforced the belief that both are ready for the next level.
Under head coach Josh Heupel, the Vols have started to re-establish themselves as a program that develops NFL talent. In the last four years, Tennessee has produced two first-round picks - offensive tackle Darnell Wright (No. 10 overall to the Bears in 2023) and edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
(No. 26 to the Falcons in 2025). Heupel has sent 17 players to the league overall, including corners Kamal Hadden (2024 sixth-rounder) and Alontae Taylor (2022 second-rounder).
But McCoy and Hood could take things to another level. Two top-12 picks at cornerback? That’s not just development - that’s elite production at a premium position.
If the projections hold, Tennessee’s secondary won’t just be remembered for what it did on Saturdays. It’ll be remembered for what it sent to Sundays.