Colton Hood turned heads at the 2026 NFL Combine, but it wasn’t for his on-field drills. While addressing the media, he didn’t mention Deion Sanders and Colorado. This sparked speculation and tension tied to his Colorado exit. Now, he has made a public statement advocating his stance.

“By no means was I throwing shade at Colorado or Coach Prime,” Colton Hood wrote on X. “I said before I wouldn’t get into differences and proceeded to only talk about my previous school, as I assumed that was the best way to go about answering the question.”

It all started when Hood addressed the media on February 25. During the media availability, Hood was asked about the key difference he felt between Josh Heupel’s Tennessee and Deion Sanders’ Colorado. While Hood praised Huepel, he refused to speak about his former coach and program.

“I won’t really get into the differences, but I would say, like at Tennessee, Coach Heupel definitely cared about his players; he did his best to keep us healthy and get us to Saturday. So he did a great job with that, you know? He’s just a great coach, a players’ coach. I love Coach Heupel for sure.”

This sparked speculation about potential tension between him and Deion Sanders. What added weight to this speculation was that people began linking it to his departure from Boulder last fall and to the message he posted on social media.

“On April 25, we learned the school was moving in a different direction, and we humbly respected that decision by entering the portal. Thank you to everyone for the love and support over the past year. Please pray for me as I pursue purpose because I’ve never chased paychecks!”

At the time, the Buffs moved on from many players, and Hood and his brother, Brandon Hood, were part of that list. Colton being on the list surprised many because he played significant snaps for Coach Prime.

However, Hood made it clear that the past is past, and he’s looking forward to living in the present, which is preparing for the NFL Combine to boost his draft stock.

Hood’s journey from Auburn to the Combine

Hood began his college career at Auburn in 2023 but redshirted the season after appearing in just four games. After the season, he transferred to Deion Sanders’ Colorado and was part of a team that finished 9-4. The DB featured in all 13 games, recording 24 tackles and two interceptions. However, after the season, he again transferred.

From the SEC to the Big 12, then back to the SEC. Hood joined Tennessee for his redshirt sophomore season and got a starting gig after Josh Heupel’s team suffered injuries to some key defenders. He improved on his Colorado performance and finished the 2025 season with 50 tackles, eight pass breakups, and a pick-six.

NFL mock drafts and scouting reports project Hood as a second-round draft pick and the 33rd overall prospect. In fact, he also has a chance to become a first-round pick if he can successfully run the 40-yard dash and pull off the cornerback drill with perfection this Friday. However, the silence came as a distraction on his path.