With analysts starting to question Fernando Mendoza's status as QB1 and whispers that Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, arguably the best player in the 2026 class, could slide on draft night, draft fatigue has undoubtedly settled in.
Smokescreen szn is in full swing, which makes it imperative that Dallas Cowboys fans don’t put too much stock in mock drafts and pre-draft rumors. That said, it is getting harder to ignore the momentum linking Dallas to Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood at No. 20 overall.
ESPN analyst Matt Bowen named Dallas his favorite fit for Hood, and Cowboys insider Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan added fuel to the fire with some telling intel.
"I have comfortably felt like for the last month or so, pick 20 I've been penciling in as Colton Hood . . . They like him. They do like him. If you're wanting to get a head start on a player and somebody who has a decent shot to end up here in Dallas, Colton Hood's not a bad place to start," Belt said.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleThe Dallas Cowboys drafting Colton Hood seems like a real possibility
Belt has found it difficult to get a pulse on the No. 12 pick, and understandably so. Some mock drafts have Sonny Styles falling out of the top 10, while others have Caleb Downs. The Cowboys could get lucky, or they could get completely wiped out. It's impossible to know for sure.
It's much easier to project which prospects will be available at No. 20, and Belt has been reporting for several weeks that Dallas likes Hood.
Hood is a really good player, but taking him at No. 20 might be right for some fans' blood. For example, in ESPN's three-round mock draft this week, Hood lasted until pick No. 42. The former Volunteer went 32nd to the Seattle Seahawks in a recent Pro Football Focus mock.
While Hood wouldn’t solve the Cowboys’ nickel problem, he has lockdown potential on the outside. A bully in press-man coverage who doesn't give an inch at the catch point, he’d give Christian Parker a boundary corner he can trust to hold up 1-on-1 against opposing No. 1 receivers.
A Colorado transfer, Hood had a marvelous year with the Volunteers, allowing a 53.8 percent completion rate when targeted with a 70.8 passer rating allowed to boot, per Pro Football Focus. He added an interception and four pass breakups.
On top of possessing lockdown coverage traits, Hood is a demon against the run. He triggers downhill with the violence of a safety. Not many cornerbacks are wired to get their nose dirty in run support. Hood is a rare player who welcomes those opportunities.
It seems that Hood could go anywhere from the end of Round 1 to the middle of Round 2, making it difficult to justify grabbing him at No. 20. He may be a reach on the consensus board when all is said and done, but if the Cowboys like him as much as Belt thinks, then go get him.