Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is next up on our scouting report series and is one of the more intriguing prospects to discuss in this entire draft class.
His last few years in Tennessee were spectacular, totaling 6,080 passing yards, 1,046 rushing yards, and 68 total touchdowns to just five interceptions.
Even more impressive is the fact that he did this in college football’s premier conference, which subsequently led to Tennessee’s most successful season in years.
It’s no secret that the Vols’ former quarterback has a lot of supporters within the Titans’ fanbase, so this article is going to give an educated and unbiased opinion on Hooker’s potential outlook as an NFL quarterback.
Before we get started, a quick reminder that all of the grades and individual rankings that are included are my own opinions after spending the last few months studying each of these individuals.
Hooker is a beloved figure in the state of Tennessee, so let’s find out if a potential reunion in Nashville makes sense for both parties.
Measurables
- Height: 6’3’’
- Weight: 217 pounds
- Hand Size: 10 ½ ”
- Arm length: 33”
- 40-time: N/A
- Relative Athletic Score: N/A
College Accolades
- SEC offensive Player of the Year (2022)
- Third-Team All-American (2022)
- First-Team All-SEC (2022)
2022 Stats
- Passing yards: 3,135
- Rushing yards: 430
- Total touchdowns: 32
- Interceptions: Two
- Turnover worthy percentage: 1.1 percent
- Big-time throw percentage: 4.6 percent
- Adjusted completion percentage: 75.9
Grades, Projections and Rankings
- Overall Grade: 77.8 (second round)
- Ceiling Projection: Late first
- Floor Projection: Early third
- Position Rank: No. 5
- Consensus Rank: No. 5
Reasons to Buy In
- Ridiculous production in college football’s premier conference.
- Doesn’t have the physical upside as some of the other quarterbacks in the class, but he has everything in his arsenal to eventually develop into a starting-caliber QB at the next level.
- Takes care of the football, only throwing five interceptions on 635 passing attempts over the last two seasons.
- Dominated with what he was asked to do, especially when he was kept clean, producing a ‘no pressure’ grade of 91.2 in 2022.
- Advanced ability to attack defenses vertically and in the quick game.
- Steadily improved his overall game seemingly every time he stepped on the field.
- Is a dual-threat weapon that can beat you with both his arms and legs.
- Would’ve had a first-round grade if not a for torn ACL.
Areas of Concern
- Suffered a relatively late knee injury that is likely going to hold him out of all offseason activities.
- Played in a college system that doesn’t translate to the NFL — Tennessee’s vertical offense manufactured space for everyone involved by constantly stretching the field.
- Was often allowed to operate without having to go through progressions.
- Had a traditional drop-back rate that was at least 32 points lower than any of the top quarterbacks in the class.
- Will be 26 years old by the end of his rookie season and still has to go through a significant learning curve from a mental standpoint. Most teams would prefer a young signal-caller to be entering their prime at that age instead of just learning the ropes.
- Has to prove he’ll be able to read defenses and throw with anticipation while operating in an NFL system that uses more condensed formations.
- Needs to be more consistent with his pocket awareness — some plays he looks like a seasoned veteran, other times he either bails too quickly or stands there like a statue.
Playing devil's advocate
I know this section may sound like I’m being harsh on him, but I’m just trying to play devil’s advocate and provide an unbiased take on Hooker that is usually hard to come by within the Tennessee community.
There is no denying that Hooker has all the talent in the world. He is a dual threat and accurate passer who consistently took care of the football despite facing the best defenses in the country.
However, there are a few reasons that people remain skeptical, and they are valid reasons no matter how hard some may try to downplay them.
For starters, he’s coming off a late ACL injury and won’t be ready until training camp at the very earliest. This is less than ideal for someone who played in one of the simplest offenses from a schematic standpoint in all of college football.
Meaning, Hooker will most likely have to go through a learning curve, so not being able to have a normal rookie offseason is likely going to slow that process down a bit.
The Tennessee product played in an offense that often manufactured space, rarely asking him to do the type of full-field reads he’ll have to perform in the pros.
Another area of concern is the fact that, according to Sports Info Solutions, Hooker’s traditional drop-back rate of 14.1 percent was:
- 32.6 points lower than Will Levis’
- 42.4 points lower than Bryce Young’s
- 43.7 points lower than Anthony Richardson’s and C.J. Stroud’s
Here's a look at the rate at which top draft prospects took a dropback of 3+ steps last season.
The NFL average is 58% pic.twitter.com/qZ20t2vkn4
— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) March 22, 2023
This type of stuff wouldn’t be too worrisome if he was the same age as the other top quarterbacks, but the reality is he will be 26 years old by the end of his rookie season.
Players should be entering their prime at that age, not barely learning how to run a pro-style system. That’s why I think a lot of the comparisons are unfair when people say stuff like “Hooker is better than Anthony Richardson.”
Truthfully, I sure would hope so, because one of those prospects isn’t even old enough to legally buy alcohol while the other is already eligible for a lower car insurance rate.
Yet, the 20-year-old has way more examples of being more NFL-ready from a mental standpoint than the 25-year-old. The real intrigue is wondering what someone like Richardson or Levis can be by the time they reach their mid 20’s.
Meanwhile, Hooker is already there and although there is a good chance he will only continue to get better, there is also a real possibility that he may have already peaked.
You combine that reality with his ACL injury and overall rawness, and you can see why many have the doubts they do.
Fit with the Titans
Now that all that has been covered, I want to make sure that I emphasize that I am a believer in Hooker’s overall potential.
No, he wasn’t asked to do many things that directly translate to the NFL, but that doesn’t mean he’s unable to do them.
Nonetheless, the things that Hooker was asked to do, he usually did them flawlessly.
You don’t throw well over 600 passes in the SEC and only give up five interceptions over a two-year span on accident. Hooker is an accurate and aggressive assassin who is capable of dropping the ball in the bucket.
The Volunteer legend also happens to be an electric playmaker that is as tough as they come. Hooker consistently showed he is capable of standing tough in a collapsing pocket to deliver a strike, or in escaping the pass-rush and making the play himself.
In an ideal world, he would join a team with an established quarterback, allowing him to red shirt in 2023.
This is why a team like the Titans makes a ton of sense if Hooker falls to them on Day 2. For the Titans, it gives them a promising quarterback to develop behind Ryan Tannehill.
As for Hooker, he would be able to focus on his own development without having the immediate pressure of elevating everyone around him.
Also, from a business standpoint, Hooker staying in-state and possibly being a star in the team’s new stadium is the type of stuff the ownership group and Tennesseans in general fantasize over.
Nevertheless, the Titans aren’t going to select Hooker just because they know he will sell jerseys. If they select him, it’s because they genuinely believe that his best football is ahead of him and that he is capable of being the eventual face of the franchise.
Check out more of Shaun Calderon's scouting reports!
