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2026 NFL Draft

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10 things to know about Colton Hood & Malachi Fields

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Following their two selections in the top 10, the Giants made another two picks on Day 2 of the draft.

With the fifth pick in the second round (No. 37 overall), the Giants selected Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood. They then made a trade, giving up their fourth-round pick (No. 105), fifth-round pick (No. 145) and next year's fourth-round pick for the No. 74 overall pick, which they used on Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields.

Here are 10 things to know about the team's two Day 2 picks.

1. Colton Hood played in 29 career games – four at Auburn, 13 at Colorado, and the final 12 at Tennessee. Across those three seasons, Hood totaled 77 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, 14 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.

2. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound corner had his best campaign with the Volunteers last season. Hood started all 12 regular season games and finished with 50 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery for a touchdown, one interception for a touchdown, and eight pass breakups. The 21-year-old was on the field for 451 coverage snaps and was credited with allowing 28 receptions for 318 yards and just one touchdown, earning him a passer rating against of 70.8.

3. Hood became the first player in the SEC with an interception return and a fumble return for a touchdown in the same season since 2019. This played a role in Hood earning second-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press, in addition to being named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top defensive back.

4. The young corner put together an impressive performance in Indianapolis at this year's NFL Combine. Hood ran a 4.44 40-yard dash with a 1.58 10-yard split, in addition to registering a 40.5" vertical jump and 10'5" broad jump, all of which led to him earning an 84 Athleticism Score from Next Gen Stats, which ranked third among cornerbacks at this year's combine.

5. Hood attended Eagles Landing Christian Academy in Georgia where he played cornerback, wide receiver, quarterback and running back, in addition to returning both punts and kickoffs. He was also a three-time all-region baseball player, two-time all-state centerfielder, part of an all-state 4x100 relay in track, and a basketball letterman. He was named the 2022 Region 5-2A Athlete of the Year.

Football runs in the Hood family as Colton's uncle, Roderick, played eight seasons in the NFL, including four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles while John Harbaugh served as Philadelphia's special teams coordinator.

"My uncle always told me how good of a person (Harbaugh) was but also how hard of a coach he was and how good of a coach he was," the second-round pick said. "Definitely somebody I want to be coached by and somebody I want to play for."

Members of the New York Giants 2026 Draft Class hit the studio after arriving in East Rutherford.

6. Malachi Fields spent his first four seasons at Virginia before transferring to Notre Dame for the 2025 campaign. He finished his collegiate career with 165 receptions for 2,479 yards and 16 touchdowns.

7. Playing in 12 games for the Fighting Irish this past season, Fields led all players with at least 10 receptions on the season with an average of 17.5 yards per reception. His season totals included 36 receptions for 630 yards and five touchdowns.

8. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound wideout was named honorable mention All-ACC in 2023 after he caught 58 passes for 811 yards and five touchdowns at Virginia. The following year, his final one with the Cavaliers, he had 55 receptions for 808 yards and another five touchdowns, which earned him third-team All-ACC honors.

9. Fields registered a 38" vertical jump at the 2026 NFL Combine to go with a 10'4" broad jump, 6.98 3-cone drill and 4.35 20-yard shuttle. Considering his height and weight, Fields was given an "elite" composite size grade as part of his Relative Athletic Score.

"He's certainly a different body type than we currently have," general manager Joe Schoen said after the team drafted Fields. "Adding that was something we had talked about doing. We weren't going to force it unless the value was at the right spot. Obviously being 6'4-1/2", 218 pounds, and the catch radius and athleticism that he displays was attractive.

"All those things were almost like build a basketball team we talk about. You got your power forward now."

10. While attending Monticello High School, Fields played quarterback and cornerback in addition to his role as kick returner. He earned 2019 All-Jefferson District first-team honors at quarterback and kick returner. Fields also participated in track & field. While at Virginia, Fields majored in American Studies.

View photos of the collegiate careers of every member of the New York Giants' 2026 Draft Class.

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