There’s been a lot of speculation lately about the possibility of Tennessee having two players taken in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Former Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy appears to be in great shape for the first 32 picks, and has for a while now. The breakout player that’s been shooting up draft boards, though, is Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood.
Hood transferred to Tennessee from Colorado for one season and played well as Tennessee’s lead cornerback. He had two touchdowns on the year, one on a pick-six and one on a scoop n’ score, and matched up well against some of the SEC’s best receivers. He also put together a strong showing at the Senior Bowl.
In a recent mock draft from ESPN’s Field Yates, the draft expert has both Tennessee players going to the same team. In fact, it’s an organization that already has two Tennessee players on the defensive side of the ball.
Yates has the Los Angeles Rams taking Jermod McCoy with the 13th overall pick and Colton Hood with the 29th overall pick. If that happens, the 2025 Tennessee teammates would unite with VFLs Byron Young and Jaylen McCollough in L.A.
“A double-dip at cornerback for the Rams? And from the same college?! This would be the first instance of a team taking two players from the same school at the same position in the first round during the common draft era (since 1967), per ESPN Research,” Yates writes. “But I believe this move merits consideration given the overall strength of the Rams’ roster and the vulnerability of their secondary.”
Yates also spoke about the move during a recent episode of NFL Live on ESPN:
.@FieldYates thinks the Rams will draft two Tennessee cornerbacks, and @JasonMcCourty thinks it could benefit them in the long run ✍️ pic.twitter.com/LEcmHa0aZW
Advertisement— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 12, 2026
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It is noteworthy, though, that Yates acknowledged Los Angeles’ recent hiring of Tennessee cornerbacks coach Michael Hunter Jr. to the organization’s staff this week. But the reality is that neither McCoy nor Hood ever played under Hunter. McCoy and Hood both played under Willie Martinez, who was let go by Tennessee during the Tim Banks defensive staff overhaul. Hunter joined the Vols’ program as part of the new-look Jim Knowles staff, and never actually coached either player during the season.
Additionally, while it is a lesser note, McCoy and Hood never actually played on the field together. There are plenty of familiarity with the two teammates in the same position room for the 2025 season, but McCoy’s absence from the field means that the two never suited up for in-game competition at the same time.
Let’s throw another Tennessee name into the mix for fun. Even if the Rams only grab one of the draftable guys, or even neither for that matter, Los Angeles could still go out and sign veteran free agent cornerback Alontae Taylor this offseason. Taylor is one of the top cornerbacks on the market this year, and certainly could wind up in L.A. if the Rams choose to pursue him.
There’s no doubt that Los Angeles is one of the teams to watch the closest for Tennessee fans during the offseason and the draft cycle.
