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A new mock draft from College Football HQ has the Pittsburgh Steelers using the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood. There’s no question Hood is a talented player — but that pick doesn’t really make sense for where the Steelers are right now.
Hood is one of the fast-rising names in college football. He’s a smooth athlete with good size at 6-foot, 195 pounds, plays with confidence at the line of scrimmage, and has a natural feel for the game. He’s good in both man and zone coverage and has a knack for getting his hands on the football, whether that’s knocking passes away or coming up with interceptions.
The main knock on Hood is that he still needs to clean up his tackling and be less grabby in coverage, which has led to some penalties. Still, most scouts see him as a potential first-round pick.
The problem isn’t Hood — it’s the fit.
Cornerback simply isn’t a pressing need for Pittsburgh. Joey Porter Jr. has continued to look like a long-term building block. James Pierre and Brandin Echols have both played well and are likely to be brought back. The Steelers also added Asante Samuel Jr., who has been solid and should continue improving as he fully moves past his spinal surgery.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s loss to the Browns made one thing painfully clear: Pittsburgh’s wide receiver room is thin. Outside of DK Metcalf, there just isn’t enough talent or fear factor on the outside. At No. 20, it would make far more sense for the Steelers to target a big, fast perimeter receiver who can stretch the field and take pressure off the offense.
There are also other needs that deserve attention before corner. The defensive line still needs more help up front, and the Steelers are in serious need of a high-end safety who can change games on the back end.
Colton Hood may very well become a good NFL player. But when it comes to Pittsburgh’s biggest problems, cornerback just isn’t near the top of the list — and that makes this mock draft pick hard to buy.
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