Tennessee Cornerback Colton Hood Named Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist
Image: Cole Moore
By Aidan Sidoti
Volunteer cornerback and Colorado transfer Colton Hood has been named one of the 15 semifinalists for the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the top defensive back in college football, as announced by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and the Jim Thorpe Association.
The emergence of Hood has been crucial for the Vols, especially with injuries to Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson. The redshirt sophomore has been highly impactful, posting 23 tackles, four tackles for loss, one interception and two defensive touchdowns. He returned a fumble for a touchdown in Tennessee’s win over Syracuse and added a pick six in the Vols’ overtime victory against Mississippi State.
Hood joins an elite semifinalist group that includes fellow SEC standouts Michael Taaffe from Texas and Mansoor Delane from LSU.
With several mock drafts projecting Hood as a potential first-round pick, his recognition on the Thorpe list only bolsters his case as one of the nation’s top defensive backs.
The finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award will be announced in November, with the winner revealed at The College Football Awards in December.
