University of Tennessee Athletics
Colton Hood, Chris Brazzell II Selected On Second Day of 2026 NFL Draft
April 24, 2026 | Football
PITTSBURGH – Cornerback Colton Hood and wide receiver Chris Brazzell II, who both transferred to Tennessee and became All-SEC stars, were selected on the second day of the 2026 NFL Draft Friday night.
Hood went in the second round with the No. 37 overall pick to the New York Giants, while Brazzell II was taken No. 83 overall in the third round by the Carolina Panthers. Â
Hood arrived in Knoxville last June and immediately delivered in his first and only season with the Vols. He totaled 50 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery for a touchdown, one interception for a score and eight pass breakups, stepping up in the absence of an injured Jermod McCoy. He was recognized on the All-SEC team and was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award.
Hood becomes the highest drafted Vol defensive back since Eric Berry went fifth overall to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010.
Brazzell II played two seasons for the Vols and exploded with his versatility last fall. He was the SEC's only 1,000-yard receiver during the regular season, gathering 62 passes for 1,017 yards and an SEC-best nine touchdowns. The third-team All-American and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist delivered in big contests too, putting up over 100 yards receiving per game against ranked teams, including an epic six-catch, 177-yard and three-touchdown performance against Georgia.
Brazzell then shined at the NFL Combine and Tennessee's Pro Day. He blazed a 4.37 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4. He continues a family legacy of NFL Draftees. His father, Chris, was selected in the sixth round (pick No. 174) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.Â
Brazzell is the fifth wide receiver to be selected in the Josh Heupel era at Tennessee and the fourth in the last four drafts. All five of those selections have been in the first four rounds.
Brazzell is the 46th Vol receiver to be selected in the NFL Draft dating back to the start of the common draft era in 1967. Â
Hood and Brazzell also continued an impressive list of now nine Vols who transferred into the program and were then drafted in the Heupel era.
Tennessee has produced multiple picks in the first three rounds in now four out of five drafts under Heupel. For perspective, from the 11-year span of 2011-21, the Vols only achieved that feat twice.
Additional Vols will wait to hear their name called on the final day. Rounds four through seven begin at noon ET Saturday on NFL Network, ESPN and ABC. Those players who go undrafted will then be able to sign free agent contracts.Â
Hood went in the second round with the No. 37 overall pick to the New York Giants, while Brazzell II was taken No. 83 overall in the third round by the Carolina Panthers. Â
Hood arrived in Knoxville last June and immediately delivered in his first and only season with the Vols. He totaled 50 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery for a touchdown, one interception for a score and eight pass breakups, stepping up in the absence of an injured Jermod McCoy. He was recognized on the All-SEC team and was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award.
Hood becomes the highest drafted Vol defensive back since Eric Berry went fifth overall to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010.
Brazzell II played two seasons for the Vols and exploded with his versatility last fall. He was the SEC's only 1,000-yard receiver during the regular season, gathering 62 passes for 1,017 yards and an SEC-best nine touchdowns. The third-team All-American and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist delivered in big contests too, putting up over 100 yards receiving per game against ranked teams, including an epic six-catch, 177-yard and three-touchdown performance against Georgia.
Brazzell then shined at the NFL Combine and Tennessee's Pro Day. He blazed a 4.37 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4. He continues a family legacy of NFL Draftees. His father, Chris, was selected in the sixth round (pick No. 174) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.Â
Brazzell is the fifth wide receiver to be selected in the Josh Heupel era at Tennessee and the fourth in the last four drafts. All five of those selections have been in the first four rounds.
Brazzell is the 46th Vol receiver to be selected in the NFL Draft dating back to the start of the common draft era in 1967. Â
Hood and Brazzell also continued an impressive list of now nine Vols who transferred into the program and were then drafted in the Heupel era.
Tennessee has produced multiple picks in the first three rounds in now four out of five drafts under Heupel. For perspective, from the 11-year span of 2011-21, the Vols only achieved that feat twice.
Additional Vols will wait to hear their name called on the final day. Rounds four through seven begin at noon ET Saturday on NFL Network, ESPN and ABC. Those players who go undrafted will then be able to sign free agent contracts.Â
"Y'all are my favorite team, coach!"#NFLVols | #NFLDraft | @Panthers pic.twitter.com/rYyuvtwIbx
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) April 25, 2026
The call of a lifetime. 📞#NFLVols | #NFLDraft | @Giants pic.twitter.com/eaWH5qxPmg
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) April 25, 2026
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