For New York Giants fans who don't know how new head coach John Harbaugh rolls, selecting defensive backs early in the draft is sort of his thing. In his last four drafts in Baltimore, he selected a DB in the first round in three of them. It's his thing.
So it only makes sense that after spending the fifth (Arvell Reese) and 10th (Francis Mauigoa) picks on non-cornerbacks on Thursday night, the 63-year-old would circle back to taking the best one available on Friday.
With the 37th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select – drumroll please – Colton Hood, cornerback, Tennessee.
Hood is not the biggest cornerback (5-foot-11, 193 pounds), but what he lacks in stature, he makes up for in physicality and effort. The former Volunteer is the perfect fit for what Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson are looking for in their DBs -- gritty, aggressive, and physical. He should thrive as a press corner in Wilson’s defense.
Giants take Tennessee Cornerback Colton Hood with 37th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft
The G-Men might have a thousand DBs on their roster currently, but not many figure to stick around. And Hood’s selection all but confirms it.
The cornerback room is uninspiring, at best. Paulson Adebo hasn’t lived up to his lofty $54 million contract signed last offseason. Deonte Banks has gone from 2023 first-round pick to a glorified punt returner. Dru Phillips followed up his impressive rookie season with a penalty-filled sophomore campaign that left doubt in just about everyone’s mind. And the-idea-of-him-is-better-than-the-player Greg Newsome was brought in earlier this offseason via free agency on a one-year, $10 million deal.
So Hood is a very welcome addition who should compete for snaps right away.
The Houston Texans swung a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders just ahead of Big Blue at 36 to select Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, who would have likely been the pick had the Texans not been annoying.
Still, upgrading the secondary was a must this draft, and this is mission accomplished in a big way.
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