Hendon Hooker

Lions Contemplating Jared Goff Extension

May 2nd, 2023 at 12:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

After the Lions drafted one of the more high-profile quarterbacks in this year’s class, questions were raised regarding the long-term future of Jared Goff in Detroit. A new deal keeping him in place could be on the horizon, though.

During an appearance on 97.1 WXYT-FM, general manager Brad Holmes confirmed that extension talks have begun between the team and Goff’s representatives. “Yeah, we’ve had internal dialogue there,” Holmes said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “We’ve had dialogue with his agent and we’re in a good place right now.”

Goff, 28, earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2022 for his impressive performance in guiding the Lions to a late-season push for a playoff spot. The former first overall pick posted his highest passer rating since 2018, and went nine straight games to close out the campaign without throwing an interception. However, he is only under contract for two more seasons (at cap hits of $30.975MM and $31.975MM), and the absence of guarantees in 2024 would make it easy for the team to move on that year.

For that reason, many have pointed to this season as being Goff’s last in the Motor City. Prior to the draft, no talks had taken place regarding an extension, which seemed to leave the door open to an eventual successor being drafted. The Lions did indeed add a signal-caller, selecting Hendon Hooker in the third round after a somewhat surprising fall down the board. The Tennessee product generated first-round buzz but was expected to hear his name called no later than the second round.

Hooker is coming off a torn ACL which will limit his availability as a rookie. That will hinder his acclimation to the pro game, something which is of particular concern considering his age (25) upon arrival in the NFL. Holmes confirmed that the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year will essentially have a redshirt campaign as the No. 3 quarterback in 2023.

“Obviously he’ll be a rookie and he’s going to have to transition into playing in a different type of scheme, but we’re really excited about his upside, so how NFL ready are a lot of quarterbacks that you acquire?” Holmes added. “And that’s just part of the normal development process and again, just a testament of I think we have the right situation for him, just to come and sit back, see how Jared and [backup] Nate [Sudfeld] do things and just develop.”

Expectations will be raised for the Lions’ offense, which added running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round – later than they were willing to draft him – this season. Another strong campaign from Goff could make his financial situation even more interesting (and the team’s decision with him more difficult), especially with his potential replacement now in the fold.

Lions Draft QB Hendon Hooker At No. 68

April 28th, 2023 at 8:33pm CST by Ely Allen

Hendon Hooker generated buzz as a possible late-first-round pick, but the Tennessee quarterback fell out of Round 2. The Lions will stop his fall, selecting him at No. 68 overall.

Detroit moved down twice in Round 2, sliding back to from No. 55 to No. 63 and back to No. 68. They now have a unique developmental quarterback set to work behind Jared Goff. Hooker, however, spent six years in college and is going into his age-25 season. He is also coming off an ACL tear sustained in November.

After four years at Virginia Tech, Hooker transferred to Tennessee to take over after the departure of Jarrett Guarantano. A breakout season saw Hooker throw for 2,945 yards and 31 touchdowns to just three interceptions, adding 616 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. He utilized his extra COVID year of eligibility to return in 2022. Playing in two fewer games due to the ACL tear that ended his final year early, Hooker threw for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions, adding 430 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

His knee might not be the only concern health-wise. A potential heart condition was discovered when undergoing tests after a positive COVID test, according to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports. The condition was determined to be a “false alarm” as a result of a procedure, but Hooker later suffered a convulsive episode that he blamed on medication from the heart procedure.

Looking past all that, Hooker was dominant at Tennessee. He took advantage of the quarterback-friendly offense for a masterfully efficient 58 touchdowns to five interceptions. He has a strong arm and touch that makes him a phenomenal deep ball passer. He didn’t rely on it in college, but he has an instinctive ability in the open field, utilizing agility, elusiveness, and toughness. Heupel lauded him as a hard worker and a strong leader, as well.

There’s a lot to like about Hooker’s long-term upside. His mental development over his collegiate career bodes well for his ability to attack the learning-curve he’ll face in the NFL. He boasts some strong tools, as well, that will come in handy when he does catch up to the professional game. As long as health is of no concern, there’s no reason that Hooker can’t develop into a starter at the NFL-level.

Hooker lands in a beautiful spot to develop with the Lions. Detroit had an impressive season behind their veteran quarterback in Goff. Goff had a resurgent season last year but still holds a massive $30.98MM cap hit in 2023 and a $31.65MM cap his in 2024. If Hooker can take up the Lions offense quickly while sitting behind Goff as a rookie, Detroit may feel comfortable taking on the $5MM of dead money they would incur by releasing Goff in 2024.

If not, Goff has two years left on his contract. If the Lions are planning to transition to an offense lead by Hooker, he’ll have one to two years to get comfortable running an NFL attack. If they’re happy with Goff and plan on extending his stay in the Motor City, then they’ve acquired a strong upgrade at the backup quarterback position.

Texans Likely To Draft DE At No. 2 Overall; Latest On C.J. Stroud

April 27th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Sam Robinson

The Davis Mills-to-Jordan Akins fourth-and-20 touchdown connection may go down as one of the more impactful plays in Texans history. That Week 18 sequence, which led to the Texans falling out of the No. 1 draft slot, ended up allowing the Panthers access to Bryce Young, a player by most accounts Houston would have taken if given the opportunity.

While the Texans attempted to trade up to No. 1 with the Bears, the team settling on a second-best quarterback option continues to look unlikely at No. 2. Houston going with either Will Anderson Jr. or Tyree Wilson is the more likely scenario compared to the team selecting C.J. Stroud at that spot, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes.

The team brought Stroud in for a pre-draft visit, attended the Ohio State prospect’s pro day, interviewed him at the Combine and, per Wilson, has spent time considering how it would obtain a quarterback after passing on one at No. 2. But the Texans drafting Stroud would be a “major surprise” at this point, according to Wilson.

Momentum has headed in this direction for weeks, with Stroud falling from potential Panthers pick at No. 1 to a player with an uncertain destination. The Texans obviously have a quarterback need, and while Wilson adds the team’s past with David Mulugheta — Deshaun Watson‘s agent and Stroud’s representative — will not determine the team’s stance on Stroud, the ex-Buckeyes starter appears likely to remain on the board at No. 3 overall. As should be expected, GM Nick Caserio (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) doubled down on Stroud’s agent not being part of the team’s decision-making.

Regarding Stroud’s potential landing spot, Wilson adds the Titans — via a trade-up with the Cardinals at No. 3 — are rumored to be exploring a move up to select him. Peter Schrager’s NFL.com mock draft projects the Titans to make that move as well.

The Titans have been viewed as Stroud fans for a bit now, and Schrager cites Mike Vrabel‘s relationship with Ohio State HC Ryan Day as one that helps Justin Fields‘ Buckeyes successor here. Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds is also believed to back Stroud, which could well lead to the Cardinals having a taker for a trade-up, as Indianapolis holds the No. 4 overall pick tonight. The Titans were mentioned weeks ago as having explored a trade into the No. 3 position; this appears to be a realistic scenario. Though, it probably will not take place until the Texans make their choice at 2.

The Texans are not expected to select Will Levis or Anthony Richardson at 2; the Texans did not host the Florida prospect on a visit. The team does have high opinion of Hendon Hooker, per Wilson, but the Tennessee prospect does not appear to be in the team’s first-round plans at either No. 2 or No. 12. The Vikings, who hold the No. 23 overall pick, have been mentioned as a potential Hooker destination. The two-year Volunteers starter, who suffered an ACL tear in November, expects to be cleared by Week 1.

An Anderson-or-Wilson decision looks to be where Houston’s process concludes. Mentioned as being open to trading down, the Texans are not expected to do so, Aaron Wilson adds. Questions about Anderson’s ceiling remain a factor here, per Aaron Wilson, who lends more credence to Tyree Wilson as being a higher-ceiling player (and a prospect who, at 271 pounds, would better fit DeMeco Ryans‘ 4-3 scheme compared to Anderson, at 253). The Texans are believed to have cleared the Texas Tech prospect, who suffered a Lisfranc fracture late in the Red Raiders’ season. Schrager mocks Anderson, whom a GM calls the “safest pick in the draft,” to Houston.

Draft Prospect QB Hendon Hooker Expected To Be Cleared By Week 1

April 26th, 2023 at 8:58pm CST by Ely Allen

University of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker has been working hard to come back from an ACL tear that he sustained in mid-November of last year. With the injury occurring so late in the year, it easily could’ve affected his availability to play in 2023, but according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, that’s not expected to be the case.

Thamel reports that every NFL team received a letter from Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Hooker’s orthopedic surgeon, claiming that Hooker is “on a timeline to be fully-cleared by the first weekend of the NFL season.” The injury largely wasn’t expected to affect his draft status too much. Hooker was already drawing first-round interest and has been predicted to be selected by the end of Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft, even without the letter.

One of the reasons for this is that Hooker is projected to be a bit of a project on offense in the NFL. He has plenty of tools that will greatly assist him at the next level as an NFL quarterback, but some of the reasons for his success in Knoxville are things that won’t continue at the pro level.

For instance, Hooker played on an extremely quarterback-friendly offense as a Volunteer under Josh Heupel. The gameplan was conducive to offensive output at the college level but hasn’t been known to produce NFL-ready passers. Heupel’s offense is assumed to run largely off of predetermined targets. This is likely evidenced by the rate and speed at which Hooker was known to check the ball down. If Hooker’s first (and only) read wasn’t there, he would check the ball down.

One of the most difficult parts of playing quarterback in the NFL is reading pro defenses, not just before the snap but during the play, as well. Since Heupel’s offense didn’t promote the development of this tool for Hooker, many teams doing their research on the 25-year-old expect that there will be a learning curve for him at the next level.

Because of this expectation that Hooker will sit and learn, the knee injury was not a huge strike against him. Regardless, with the letter from Dr. ElAttrache, if any teams were worried about how soon he would be available, they can put that concern to rest.

QB Draft Notes: Patriots, Seahawks, Lions

April 25th, 2023 at 7:15pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve heard several times that the Colts have interest in Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, and Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com reiterated today that the organization is a fan of the prospect (via Pat McAfee Show on Twitter). However, one surprising suitor has emerged in the Levis sweepstakes.

According to Mike Giardi (on Twitter), the Patriots have “real interest” in Levis, While there isn’t “universal” interest in the quarterback within the organization, there are some “important folks in that building” who believe in the player’s ability and potential. Giardi also cautions that the prospect hasn’t “blown anyone away” during his workouts, a surprising remark considering Levis’ draft stock seems to be climbing each day.

While Bill Belichick and co. have a penchant for moving back in the first round, the organization would surely have to move up the board if they hope to get their hands on Levis. The Patriots are currently sitting with the No. 14 pick in the draft, and if the Colts’ interest is for real, New England would have to jump into the top-three to get their hands on the signal-caller.

That would be a shocking development after the Patriots used a first-round pick on Mac Jones only two years ago. Jones took a step back during his sophomore season in the NFL, leading some to wonder if the coaching staff could be eyeing a quarterback competition heading into training camp. While that competition was assumed to feature Jones and Bailey Zappe, the Patriots could shock the NFL world by adding another player to the mix.

More QB draft notes…

ESPN’s Todd McShay writes that he’s getting a “strong sense” that the Seahawks won’t leave the first round without a quarterback. McShay wonders if the front office could be eyeing Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud or Florida’s Anthony Richardson with the fifth-overall selection, noting that either prospect would make sense as a long-term developmental option behind Geno Smith. McShay also notes that the Seahawks could skip over the position at No. 5 before targeting Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker at No. 20.
As we’ve heard previously, the Titans are in the mix for a quarterback, with McShay noting that they’re contenders to trade up from No. 11 to select Stroud or Levis. If the organization is unable to pull off a trade up the board, McShay writes that the front office would likely pivot and trade back, in which case they could select Hooker later in the first round.
McShay says the Lions could be a surprising suitor for a quarterback prospect at No. 6. If Stroud does fall down the board, the writer opines that he won’t fall any further than Detroit, where he could serve as a temporary backup to Jared Goff. Meanwhile, while the Raiders previously sniffed around at a trade for Alabama’s Bryce Young, they’re unlikely to take a quarterback with the No. 7 pick, per McShay.

Draft Notes: Hooker, Texans, Avila

April 22nd, 2023 at 9:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

For much of the pre-draft process, it has been widely assumed that four quarterbacks will be taken in the first round. The next highest-rated passer, Hendon Hooker, could increase that number to five.

The Tennessee product had a promising 2022 season cut short by an ACL tear, which will keep him sidelined for at least part of his rookie campaign. That, along with his age (25), has hurt his stock to the point that many see him as a second-round prospect. Hooker has met with a number of teams across the Day 1 order, however, and the Raiders are one squad which came away impressed with him.

ESPN’s Matt Miller confirms that Hooker is gathering steam to be picked in the first round. He cites multiple scouts who believe he can safely be penciled into the Day 1 order, with one prediction even connecting him to the Commanders at No. 16. Washington is committed to Sam Howell as their starter, and they have signed Jacoby Brissett as an experienced backup. While teams set to pick later in the round could therefore be better fits, it may not come as much a surprise if one of them elects to add Hooker compared to earlier in the offseason.

Here are some other notes from the same ESPN piece:

Both Miller and colleague Jordan Reid are in line with the prevailing thought in league circles that the Texans will not use the second overall pick on a quarterback. Recent reports have increasingly pointed to Houston preferring a defensive prospect to any quarterback other than Bryce Young, who is widely expected to go first overall. Miller adds that Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. is the name “most often connected” to the second pick – something which goes against previous reports listing fellow edge rusher Tyree Wilson as the favorite for GM Nick Caserio and Co. In any case, the Texans (who also hold the 12th pick) will certainly be a team to watch in the early going on Thursday, as their QB situation may not be addressed on Day 1.
Reid names Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents and TCU guard Steve Avila as players who could find their way into the back of the first round. The latter delivered strong performances both in the run game and in pass protection during the Horned Frogs’ run to the national title game and is among the top interior linemen in the 2023 class. Per Reid, both the Cowboys and Saints have their eye on Avila. Both Dallas and New Orleans used first-round picks (Tyler Smith and Trevor Penning, respectively) to bolster their offensive fronts last year, but Avila could be an immediate starter for whichever team adds him late on Day 1 or early on Day 2.

Raiders Still Considering First-Round QB?

April 22nd, 2023 at 9:37am CST by Ben Levine

Even after adding veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo earlier this offseason, the Raiders are still considering a rookie QB. We heard earlier this week that the organization was eyeing projected second-round quarterback Hendon Hooker, but the front office is also keeping their options open in the first round. General manager Dave Ziegler told reporters that the Raiders “haven’t ruled anything out” in regards to a first-round QB.

“Having Jimmy does supply us with a very high-quality starting player at the position. And so, we feel comfortable with that,” Ziegler said (via Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal). “But I think to close that door and say that’s not something you would do because of X, Y and Z. That’s not the business we’re in.

“…Any time you can find a young player at that position that’s going to have an impact on your team, you have to keep an open mind to that.”

As Bonsignore writes, the Raiders “were as active as any team in the NFL” when it came to evaluating quarterback prospects. Currently sitting with the No. 7 pick, the Raiders could even move up the draft board in pursuit of their preferred player. The Raiders are armed with selections in each round of the draft, including extra picks in the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh.

However, the Raiders might not even have to make a trade. If the Cardinals keep their pick (coupled with the possibility that the Texans could pivot away from a rookie QB at No. 2), then the Raiders may find that one of Florida’s Anthony Richardson or Kentucky’s Will Levis falls to them at No. 7. Further, thanks to the addition of Garoppolo, the Raiders are in no rush to add a player at the position, and a rookie QB would surely be redshirted behind the Raiders’ free agent acquisition for at least the 2023 campaign.

The Raiders have plenty of holes on defense, so even if a QB does fall to No. 7, there’s still a chance the front office goes for a player who could contribute now. In that scenario, the front office could make a push for Hooker. The Tennessee product visited the Raiders earlier this month and are believed to have been impressed with the prospect. Coming off a November ACL tear, Hooker isn’t expected to be a serious option for the organization with the seventh-overall pick.

Raiders Impressed With QB Hendon Hooker?

April 19th, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The rare team to meet with all five of this year’s top quarterback prospects, the Raiders also must strongly consider using early-round picks to bolster their long-downtrodden defense. But if the Silver and Black use the No. 7 overall choice on a defender, it leaves the door open to its second-rounder being a tool to address their QB spot.

Hendon Hooker visited the Raiders earlier this month, and Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com notes the team is impressed with the Tennessee prospect. This intrigue includes Hooker, per Pauline, sitting third on the Raiders’ QB board — behind only Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. With the team viewing both players as likely to be off the board by No. 7, exploration of a Hooker investment enters the equation.

Coming off a November ACL tear, Hooker is not expected to be a consideration for the Raiders at No. 7. The team is indeed aiming to bolster its defense — potentially on all three levels — but Pauline adds it would be major surprise if Hooker slid past the Raiders at No. 38. Hooker has developed some momentum during the pre-draft interview period, and the notion of a team using late-first-round pick on the two-year Volunteers starter does not appear farfetched.

The Raiders trading back into the first round for Hooker would be a risk, considering the QB’s age (25) and injury past. Hooker would not be expected to play in 2023, given the Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo investment, and the team only has Brian Hoyer as an option behind Garoppolo. Hooker being a nonfactor behind Garoppolo would make Hoyer, who will turn 38 this season, the only true option if Garoppolo suffers another injury. The Raiders would also enter the QB-development business with a passer who would be 26 at the earliest point he could conceivably start for the team. Garoppolo signed a three-year contract that includes $33.75MM fully guaranteed, giving the Raiders the option of using the 31-year-old passer for multiple seasons.

Hooker is meeting with the Giants today. While New York seems like an unrealistic destination, he has also met with the Texans, Commanders, Saints, Lions and Buccaneers. The Vikings have also been connected to Hooker, though they are not believed to have used a “30” visit on him. The Saints also seem a stretch for Hooker, given Derek Carr‘s guarantees, but the Raiders could still be competing with a few other teams — depending on where this draft’s higher-rated QBs go — as the first round progresses. The Commanders hold picks 16 and 47; the Bucs sit at 19 and 50. Disregarding the Lions’ No. 6 pick, they also hold Nos. 18, 48 and 55. The Texans, who continue to be mentioned as a candidate to pass on Stroud at No. 2 overall, carry Nos. 12 and 33. Minnesota sits at No. 23 and does not have a second-round pick.

Both Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rank Hooker just outside the top 40. Prior to his ACL tear, the 6-foot-3 prospect piloted Tennessee to five wins over ranked competition — including a shootout conquest over Alabama. Hooker finished his two-year Vols run with 58 touchdown passes and five interceptions; the six-year collegian was far less prolific at Virginia Tech. As our Ely Allen points out, Hooker playing in what is viewed as a QB-friendly offense at Tennessee could affect his NFL development.

While Hooker joins Anthony Richardson and Will Levis in carrying risk as a first-round-caliber prospect, teams without a top-10 pick — or those who do not wish to use one on a non-Young QB — figure to have done extensive homework on Hooker going into the draft. The Raiders appear to be one of those teams.

QB Draft Notes: Texans, Titans, Levis, Hooker

April 18th, 2023 at 9:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Alabama’s Bryce Young is the favorite to go No. 1 to the Panthers, and most pundits have assumed that the Texans would then select Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. However, there are some “rumblings” that the Texans could pivot away from quarterback and select someone like Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. with the second-overall pick, according to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post. One anonymous executive believes those whispers aren’t a smokescreen and questioned if Houston’s front office is even a fan of Stroud.

“Maybe it’s a smokescreen — you never know this time of year — but I really believe the Texans don’t like Stroud,” the “longtime personnel executive” told La Canfora. “I keep hearing it, and I’m inclined to believe it. The Titans are the team that really likes Stroud, and I don’t know if they would move all the way up [from the 11th pick to the second] to do it, but I’d keep an eye on that. The Texans could take Anderson or [Georgia defensive lineman Jalen] Carter, but I think they want to trade down more than anything else.”

Jim Wyatt of the Titans backs the sentiment about Tennessee’s inability to move up the draft board. The writer cites the question marks surrounding the top QB prospects, the Titans’ need at other positions, and the team’s lack of draft capital (the Titans are currently armed with only six draft selections). Of course, Wyatt adds the caveat that it’s tough to predict how new GM Ran Carthon will operate during the draft.

Texans GM Nick Caserio hinted yesterday that the organization would consider trading the No. 2 pick, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter also noting that Houston’s front office could end up keeping the pick but not selecting a signal-caller.

More QB notes leading up to the draft…

Indy has their eye on a particular QB prospect, with La Canfora noting that the Colts “covet” Kentucky quarterback Will Levis. We previously heard that the organization was targeting Levis but didn’t intend to trade up for their preferred prospect. Unfortunately for the Colts, they would need the draft board to shake out in their favor if they hope to get Levis; the team has the fourth-overall pick and may have to settle for whichever QB is still left on the board.
Speaking of, La Canfora writes that league executives believe four quarterbacks will be selected atop the draft. The Texans could throw a wrench in that plan, and the Cardinals would have to find a suitable trade partner for the third-overall pick. La Canfora adds that the expectation is that a No. 3-pick suitor would use their newfound selection on Florida QB Anthony Richardson.
The Giants recently inked Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160MM deal, but that hasn’t stopped the organization from doing their due diligence at the position. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker will visit the Giants tomorrow. The quarterback has had a busy pre-draft process, with Garafolo noting that organizations want clarity on Hooker’s recovery from a torn ACL. The Tennessee product is a fine fallback option for teams that don’t have the ammo to get one of the top-four prospects at the position; Hooker is the only other QB outside of Young/Stroud/Richardson/Levis to earn a spot in Scouts Inc.’s top-85.

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker

April 15th, 2023 at 5:15pm CST by Ely Allen

We’ve already seen plenty of reports on the 2023 NFL Draft class’s top passing prospects. After the expected first-rounders (Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, and Kentucky’s Will Levis), nearly all other quarterback prospects aren’t expected to hear their names until Day 3 of the draft. The exception to that statement is Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, considered one of the draft’s top passers who shouldn’t be available for long, if at all, after the first 31 picks.

Hooker is one of the older quarterbacks in the draft, graduating from Dudley High School (NC) back in 2017. Considered a Top 247 player and the fifth-ranked dual-threat quarterback by 247Sports, Hooker initially committed to Virginia Tech a few weeks after receiving an offer and stuck with the Hokies despite some late flirting with Oregon.

In Blacksburg, Hooker competed with redshirt freshman Josh Jackson for the starting job at quarterback before redshirting, himself. In 2018, he would sit once again behind Kansas transfer Ryan Willis. The next year, Hooker would finally get an opportunity to start for the Hokies after a disappointing start to the season for Willis. With Hooker behind center, Virginia Tech rebounded to find their way to a bowl game thanks to Hooker’s 1,555 passing yards, 18 total touchdowns, and only two interceptions. Hooker returned as the starter in 2020 but only appeared in eight of 11 possible games. Overall, during his career with the Hokies, Hooker completed 63.1-percent of his passes for 2,894 yards, 22 touchdowns, and seven interceptions over 21 total games, adding 1,033 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.

Seeking greener pastures, Hooker transferred to Tennessee with many thinking he would back up Joe Milton, the Michigan transfer who was widely expected to take over after the departure of Jarrett Guarantano. An early injury to Milton, though, opened the door for Hooker to take the reins, and Hooker didn’t look back. A breakout season saw Hooker throw for 2,945 yards and 31 touchdowns to just three interceptions, adding 616 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. He utilized his extra COVID year of eligibility to return in 2022. Playing in two fewer games due to an ACL tear that ended his final year early, Hooker threw for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions, adding 430 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

The late-season ACL tear obviously hurts his draft stock, but maybe not quite as much as you might think. The 25-year-old was already likely expected to need some development after playing in Josh Heupel‘s extremely quarterback-friendly offense in Knoxville. His jump in success from Virginia Tech to Tennessee could be a result of the Volunteers’ offense that included mostly play action passes that had largely predetermined targets.

The convenient offense affected his ability to make reads which led to frequent checkdowns when his initial reads weren’t there. When he didn’t immediately check down, any hint of pressure would push him out of the pocket. While finding success on rollouts and scrambles, it did lead to a worrying 39 fumbles over his college career.

Additionally, his knee might not be the only concern health-wise. A potential heart condition was discovered when undergoing tests after a positive COVID test, according to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports. The condition was determined to be a “false alarm” as a result of a procedure, but Hooker later suffered a convulsive episode that he blamed on medication from the heart procedure.

So who will take a chance on Hooker? As a bit of a project with recent health issues, it will likely be a team with a short-term or unproven situation at quarterback in 2023. Think the Commanders (Sam Howell), the Falcons (Desmond Ridder), the Colts (Gardner Minshew, Nick Foles), or the Texans (Davis Mills). The Ravens might even be a possibility with the current uncertainty surrounding Lamar Jackson.

While many expect him to fall to the second round, it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see a team trade up to the back of the first round as Baltimore did with Jackson in 2018. The extra fifth-year option could prove useful if Hooker sits for a year or two. Even if that’s not how it plays out, Hooker likely won’t sit around for long into Day 2. We’ll find out in just under two weeks from now.

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