Former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker will likely be the fifth quarterback off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft.
While the Vols standout might not go as high as former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum has predicted, his electric 2022 season will likely find him drafted earlier than most players.
Hooker is coming off of a torn ACL but still was able to throw around the ball at bit at Tennessee’s Pro Day on Wednesday.
While he’s not “throwing” in the sense where he’s launching bombs to open receivers, it’s possible he’ll be ready to go once the 2023 NFL season starts this fall.
Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker is back in Knoxville and throwing the football before Vols Pro Day.
Remarkable to see after ACL surgery in November. @rockytopinsider pic.twitter.com/GbjbtqyPkg
— Ric Butler (@Ric_Butler) March 30, 2023
Hooker is one of the draft’s most recent risers, and it will be fascinating to see which NFL team takes a chance on him next month once the 2023 NFL Draft gets going.
We’re not guessing that any team picking high will select Hooker, but there are five teams that would make a lot of sense.
Tennessee Titans
It would make a lot of sense for the Tennessee Titans to keep Hendon Hooker in the state with the team’s second-round pick.
New general manager Ran Carthon isn’t necessarily tied to any player he didn’t draft or sign, and he could take Hooker with the team’s No. 41 pick and let him sit a year behind quarterback Ryan Tannehill before letting Hooker have his turn in 2024.
While the Titans took quarterback Malik Willis last April, he might project as more of a developmental backup with starting potential for another team down the road.
Hooker already has plenty of Titans fans in his corner. He could be a nice fit in the Tennessee offense since he projects similarly to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder, who garnered plenty of Tannehill comparisons last year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers face uncharted waters without quarterback Tom Brady on the roster, but Hendon Hooker could be a very viable alternative.
The team has quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask set to duke it out in the most uninspired quarterback battle in some time. Hooker could potentially push for a starting job now if he’s healthy, as he’d have a solid offensive line, offensive arsenal and defense to support his growth.
The Bucs could take him with the No. 19 pick in the first round and have a fifth-year option to lean on. If all else fails and the Bucs bottom out, they could just take a quarterback next year if Hooker isn’t the long-term fit.
Minnesota Vikings
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins will basically be a free agent after this season, so Minnesota might want to find his successor sooner than later if Cousins doesn’t return to the team in 2024.
Enter Hendon Hooker, who could sit behind Cousins for a year as a high-end backup before taking over the position in 2024.
Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell did impressive work in his first year with the Vikings.
He could mold his quarterback of the future by picking Hooker at No. 23 in the first round and adding one of his old pals, wideouts Jalin Hyatt or Cedric Tillman, in the second round.
Baltimore Ravens
While the Baltimore Ravens are dealing with the quarterback drama that’s coming with Lamar Jackson’s stalled contract and trade request, could the team find its future quarterback this year in Hendon Hooker?
New Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken would be very familiar with Hooker’s play after coaching against him at Georgia. Tee Martin, the team’s quarterbacks coach, is a former Vols quarterback and coach who probably enjoyed watching Hooker’s 2022 season.
The connections are there for Hooker to make sense as a possible successor for Jackson, but a trade would have to happen for this to make sense.
Right now, Baltimore could take Hooker with No. 22 and compete for the starting job with Tyler Huntley if he’s healthy enough. The Jackson situation will have to get resolved for this to make sense, but don’t rule it out.
Indianapolis Colts
While the Indianapolis Colts have the No. 4 pick in the draft right now, we’re going to link them to Hendon Hooker with their No. 35 pick in the draft’s second round.
If the Colts don’t want to move up for a guy and don’t like their options at four this year, it’s possible the team could use a second-round pick on Hooker and let him compete with quarterback Gardner Minshew for the starting job.
New Colts head coach Shane Steichen has worked with a former SEC quarterback that was taken in the second round before in Jalen Hurts, and that partnership worked out beautifully for the Philadelphia Eagles.
We’re not sure if Hooker’s ceiling is quite as high as Hurts’ was, but he could be a good fit for what the Colts want to do. If it doesn’t work out, the Colts could just start over next year with what’s likely to be a high draft pick.
