Getty
Colton Hood becomes second member of his family to play for Giants coach John Harbaugh.
In the second round of the NFL Draft, the New York Giants bolstered their defense even more by nabbing cornerback Colton Hood. Along with his impressive showing at Tennessee last season, his ties to head coach John Harbaugh may have also played a role in this selection.
Hood will now be a second-generation player in the NFL, as his uncle Roderick Hood suited up in the pros for roughly a decade. During his career, he crossed paths with Harbaugh on the Philadelphia Eagles, where the latter served as a special teams coordinator.
Following the pick, Harbaugh touched on coaching another member of the Hood family in the NFL. Knowing his background, he thinks he’ll be a good fit in New York on and off the field.
“I know the type of family this young man comes from, and the type person he is,” Harbaugh said. “I know the kind of athlete he is. This is a corner with traits and ball skills. Traits and ball skills at corner. Plus he’s a high-character guy. So he’s going to light a fire in that room. You better be ready. You better be ready to compete.”
Arguably one of the top CB prospects in the 2026 draft, Hood was projected to hear his name called in round one. However, he ended up falling to the Giants at No. 37 overall.
Colton Hood’s Uncle Made Young CB Eager to Play for Giants Coach John Harbaugh
As a projected first-round pick, there were countless teams that Hood could have wound up on. However, while he did fall slightly, he seems more than pleased to wind up with the Giants.
Given their connection, Hood was asked if his uncle gave him any insights into playing for a coach like Harbaugh. Roderick had nothing but positive things to say, making him more excited to suit up for New York.
“My uncle always told me how good of a person (Harbaugh) was but also how hard of a coach he was and how good of a coach he was,” Colton Hood said. “Definitely somebody I want to be coached by and somebody I want to play for.”
Colton Hood has Emotional Exchange With Giants Coach After Being Drafted
After slipping to the second round, Hood’s draft experience ended up being slightly different. That said, it didn’t impact how emotional he was when his time finally came.
Originally, Hood was present in Pittsburgh for the first round of the draft. When he wasn’t selected, he flew home to Atlanta to be around his loved ones for this once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Hood kept his composure when Giants GM Joe Schoen first called to say New York would be selecting him with the 37th pick. However, he became flooded with emotions when the phone was handed over to Harbaugh. Overwhelmed with joy, Hood still managed to make a strong promise to his new head coach.
“I appreciate you coach,” Hood told Harbaugh. “You’re gonna get the best out of me, I promise.”
With his future now locked in, Hood will begin preparing to be an impactful piece in the Giants’ secondary this upcoming season and beyond.
Kevin McCormick is a veteran sports writer covering the NBA for Heavy.com. After writing for Heavy briefly in 2022, he's returned to the publication in 2026. McCormick brings with him over seven years of experience writing about the NBA in a newsroom and served as a credentialed reporter of the Philadelphia 76ers for 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, and On SI. More about Kevin McCormick