The New York Jets could bring some sizzle back to the secondary.
In ESPN Field Yates’ latest mock draft for ESPN, he predicted that the Jets would replace Sauce Gardner with Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood with the No. 33 overall pick in the second round.
“The Jets traded away Sauce Gardner to the Colts last season, a move that was impossible to turn down given the two first-round picks in return. Hood is an explosive corner who shows upon against the run and brings good ball skills along with his 4.44 speed. He helped Tennessee withstand the absence of Jermod McCoy in 2025, finishing with 10 pass breakups,” Yates wrote.
Looking at the Hood Backstory
Hood, 21, is listed at 6-feet and weighs 193 pounds. He went on quite the ride in college, playing for three different universities.
Hood suited up for Auburn in 2023, Colorado in 2024, and played for Tennessee in 2025.
During his collegiate run, he appeared in 29 games. With those opportunities, Hood collected three interceptions, 14 pass deflections, 77 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble, and two defensive touchdowns.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein said Hood is a “Press-man bully with an ability to put his stamp on the first and last phases of the snap. Hood plays with a disruptive punch and gets his hands on most releases, but shifty NFL wideouts could create issues for him.”
“He’s disciplined in zone, but route switches still cause occasional missteps. Hood plays with aggression in the catch space, taking top positioning by force. Physicality also shows up in run support, where he triggers downhill with stopping power and finishes like an extra safety. Hood needs to sharpen his instincts/technique, but he has the mentality and upside to become a CB2 in a press-heavy scheme,” Zierlein added.
Evaluating Hood’s Draft Stock
The talented defensive back is listed as the No. 36 overall-ranked prospect on the consensus big board. He is ranked as the fourth-best corner in this class, according to the big board.
Obviously, the Jets’ secondary lost some quality beef when they shipped off Gardner in a blockbuster deal to the Colts. Gardner was the highest-paid corner in the league at the time of his new deal.
During free agency, the Jets added Pro Bowler Nahshon Wright from the Chicago Bears. He certainly looks the part. Wright is listed at 6-foot-4 and weighs 190 pounds. Wright led the NFL in total takeaways by an individual player (five interceptions, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries).
The problem with Wright is the limited sample size. Before last year, he had never started more than two games in a season. In 2025, he exploded on the scene. That lack of a proven concept factored into his price on the open market. He signed a one-year deal with a maximum value of $5.5 million.
He is set to compete with second-year cornerback Azareye’h Thomas for a starting cornerback job opposite Brandon Stephens.
If the Jets moved on from Stephens this offseason, they would eat $19.4 million in dead cap. However, there is an out in his contract next offseason. In other words, cornerback is a sneakier need than people realize.
Drafting isn’t always about filling a need right now, but rather filling a long-term void.
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