The expected strength of the Tennessee Volunteers never materialized this fall due to injuries to cornerbacks Rickey Gibson III and Jermod McCoy.
Fortunately for the Vols, there is the NCAA transfer portal.
When Colton Hood committed to Tennessee in May after spending his 2023 season at Auburn and last season at Colorado, the former 247Sports.com three-star prospect from the Atlanta suburb of McDonough was viewed as a nice depth piece in the secondary. Instead he has become a standout, with the 6-foot, 195-pounder having started all nine games for the No. 23 Vols.
“Growing up, I was never like anybody’s first choice,” Hood said this week during a news conference. “I was always having to choose the next-man-up mentality and making the best of my opportunity every time I got one. I try to treat every day like there is somebody behind me trying to beat me out for my spot.
“You’ve got to treat every day like that, but I always knew the kind of player I was.”