Hendon Hooker was drafted in the third round by the Lions with the 68th overall pick 2023 NFL Draft. The former Tennessee quarterback was a Heisman Trophy hopeful in 2022 but his season was cut short after tearing his ACL in November. Prior to the injury, Hooker was playing incredibly well and helped lead the Volunteers to a 9-1 record, including an impressive win over Alabama, the school’s first since 2006.
In the days leading up to the first round, Hooker’s doctor sent a note to all 32 NFL teams indicating the quarterback was on a “fast recovery trajectory.” It’s unclear if he’ll be cleared to play in time for the start of the regular season but the 25-year-old rookie is vowing to make that happen.
Luckily for the Lions, they already have Jared Goff as their starting quarterback for 2023 but his contract is up in 2024 which may indicate the team is ready to transition to Hooker as their franchise quarterback in 2025.
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Hendon Hooker's Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis
2023 Redraft Fantasy Football Ranking: N/A (due to injury/uncertain availability)
2023 Dynasty Rookie Ranking: Quarterback 5
Given his injury and spot on Detroit's projected depth chart, Hooker’s 2023 fantasy football value will be minimal in redraft leagues. Even in dynasty formats, Hooker isn’t as appealing as some of his younger counterparts in this year’s draft class.
Hendon Hooker Pro Comparison and College Stats
Before his season was cut short, Hooker was filling up the stat sheet with some monstrous numbers. He threw for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdown passes in just 11 games. Perhaps even more impressive was the fact he only had two interceptions on the year. Hooker became the first Tennessee player since Peyton Manning to win the SEC Player of the Year award.
Hooker has drawn comparisons to Geno Smith and Sam Bradford.
