Giants rookie cornerback Colton Hood was ready for first camp thanks to advice from his uncle, who played under John Harbaugh
Colton Hood is all smiles during Giants rookie minicamp. Credit: Ed Murray
Unlike the rest of the Giants’ rookies, cornerback Colton Hood had insight on what to expect from his first NFL training camp under John Harbaugh. His uncle Roderick played for the Eagles from 2003-06, and Harbaugh was the special teams coordinator.
“He definitely prepared me,” Hood told Newsday. “He told me Harbaugh’s practices were going to be long, they’re going to be hard, but he said they were going to make us better.”
Still, there’s always an adjustment from college to the pros. Before the season begins, Hood, who was drafted in the second round, shared what a typical day is like for a rookie.
Morning
Hood wakes up at about 5:30 a.m. Early mornings aren’t new because his father, Bengie, used to wake him up at 4 in high school for workouts.
“5:30 is a good time because I get some extra rest,” Hood said.
By 6:30, he is at the Giants’ facility, where he gets treatment from the training staff. At 7:30, the team starts lifting sessions in the weight room. By 9, team meetings start and can last for two hours.
Hood said that being at Tennessee last year got him acclimated to how thorough NFL meetings are under Harbaugh.
“Our meetings were very structured, very intentional. So it’s not too much different than here,” Hood said. “They’re very intentional. A lot of paying attention to the details.”
At 11 the Giants do a walkthrough for an hour. Noon means it’s time to take a break to get ready for practice but also seek more treatment such as hot and cold tubs, stretching, massage therapy and more.
Hood was used to doing cold tubs since his sophomore year in college, but he now realizes how much more treatment he needs to recover from the NFL’s more physical demands.
“I do need to still get better at that because the cold tub, it’s just not enough,” Hood said. “Like, you got to actually work on your body. So, definitely something I’m still working on.”
Afternoon
The Giants started most practices at 1:30 during training camp. Hood began camp working with the second team, but midway, he started taking a few first-team reps to rotate with returning starter Paulson Adebo, free-agent signee Greg Newsome and Deonte Banks. Harbaugh has said all four could see playing time in the season opener against the Cowboys on Sunday night.
Some practices were learning by fire. In one practice, Odell Beckham Jr. leaped and caught a touchdown pass over Hood. In another, Harbaugh pulled an angry Hood aside to explain why he was flagged for pass interference. Harbaugh also encouraged his young cornerback and hugged him afterward.
When Hood was drafted, Harbaugh called him a pit bull who would light a fire in the room. Hood is confident in himself and eager to ask veterans for advice.
“We’re always around each other at lunch and [he’s] just asking questions,” Newsome said. “And I’m just trying to just give him some knowledge. But a very smart young player. He’s going to be a great player in this league.”
What about rookie duties? Hood has had to carry shoulder pads and helmets or fetch snacks. But earning respect is nothing new when your uncle played in the pros and your father was a Division I receiver.
Growing up in a football household taught him early on how to be competitive. Hood knows he has to prove himself on a new level, and it’s helped him fit in with a veteran secondary.
“I’m not really focused on no depth chart. Just more focused on being my best self, getting better daily,” Hood said. “I know if I get better daily, then what I want to happen for myself is gonna happen.”
Evening
After practice ends at 3:30, Hood has meetings from 5-6:30 for special teams and defense. At 6:30, he has his final meetings with his position coach until 7:15.
Those one-on-one sessions usually involve going over practice or game plans for another team. It reminded Hood of how he and Uncle Roderick watched film together in college. It helped teach Hood what to look for in addition to what his coaches advised. That allowed him to be even more receptive to what the Giants’ coaches point out.
“It definitely gave me a foundation, knowing what to look for,” Hood said of those family film sessions. “Splits. Formations. Tendencies. Some guys do different things when they know they’re getting the ball and when they’re not.”
By 8, Hood is home. Sometimes he’ll get back earlier if meetings are shorter, which gives him time to relax and unwind if he’s not doing extra work. He’s currently reading a biography of Muhammad Ali.
When Hood was drafted in April, he studied the Giants’ playbook at least two hours a day. Now it’s about 30 minutes or less because he’s busy watching film of opponents. The Giants will start the season against two lethal passing attacks in the Cowboys and the Rams.
By 10:20, Hood is in bed. The journey starts again the next day.
The life of an NFL rookie means not just reaching a dream but continuing to maintain it through routine and improvement.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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