Colton Hood is not shying away from his chance to win a starting job.
That should come as no surprise, if you know the Giants’ second-round rookie cornerback.
Hood continued to make his determination clear after Thursday’s training camp practice — the Giants’ 14th and final session before Saturday afternoon’s preseason opener against the Vikings.
He said he has no doubt he can start in the NFL from the get-go.
“Yeah, for sure,” he said. “Like, no question. I know I can.”
And why is that?
“I just know the type of player I am — my technique,” he said. “My athleticism, I think, is up there with the best of the best. I know I can go out there and compete — and not just compete, but win. So I definitely think I can go out there and win right now.”
Hood is preparing as if he’s going to start in Week 1 against the Cowboys. He’s been studying Dallas’ top two wide receivers, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, “damn near since I first got drafted.”
The NFL’s 2026 schedule was released shortly after the Giants picked Hood.
“They’re great players,” Hood said of Lamb and Pickens. “But I’m just going to continue to home in on what they like and what they don’t like — and try to add that, to give me an advantage if I am starting in Week 1.”
First, there’s a good chance Hood could match up with Justin Jefferson on Saturday at MetLife Stadium. That possibility excites Hood.
“It would be great,” he said. “Regardless of who is out there, they’ve got to see me — and you’ve got to show me. I’m not going in there with any preconceived notions or anything like that. You’ve got to show me you’re better than me, and you’ve got to win. I’m going to go out there and compete.”
At this point, Hood is one of four Giants outside corners (along with Paulson Adebo, Greg Newsome and Deonte Banks) competing for two starting jobs. Adebo and Newsome seem like the favorites, but Hood could push for a starting role — if not now, then perhaps at some point during the season.
Giants coach John Harbaugh said Hood’s attention to detail and ball skills (which Harbaugh already loved) have stood out so far in camp.
“He’s very sticky at the top of routes — maybe more sticky than I thought,” Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh also admires Hood’s “determination to do everything right — almost too much. This guy, man, he’s a perfectionist. He gets mad if he doesn’t do it exactly right. I kind of appreciate that kind of mindset,” Harbaugh said.
Adebo and Newsome (the presumptive starters heading into camp) dealt with injuries this week, which meant more opportunities with the first-string unit for Hood and Banks, a 2023 first-round pick who has one last shot with the Giants.
Newsome is back at practice, but Adebo remains sidelined, a notable situation for what is a wide-open competition at outside corner.
“I think I took some exponential jumps from when I first got here to now — and even [from] the first day of training camp to now,” Hood said. “I’m just going to continue to get better throughout the preseason. I’m just going to keep growing.”
He said his biggest leap has come on the mental side of things — knowledge of formations, play calls and what everyone around him is doing.
“I’ve gotten better,” he said. “I just feel like my technique is coming on. I can’t control the depth chart. All I can control is my attitude, effort and the product I put out there on the field.”
As he does that, he leans on his relentless fearlessness.
“You can’t have no fear, especially at cornerback,” he said. “You’ve got to go out there every play — not just every game, but every single play – knowing that you’re the best on the field. I think that definitely helps me.”
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