Hendon Hooker NFL Draft Overview
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 222 pounds
School: Tennessee
Hendon Hooker 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Hendon Hooker has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft following his red-shirt senior season with the Tennessee Volunteers. Hooker began his college career at Virginia Tech before transferring in his red-shirt junior season. While his numbers were pedestrian in his first three seasons, Hooker dominated in 2022 and is in the conversation for a first round pick. Hooker was first team all SEC and the SEC offensive player of the year in 2022 prior to tearing his ACL against South Carolina.
Hooker’s production in 2022 was impressive. Formerly a lackluster offense, Hooker put up 3,135 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, 430 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in only 11 games. Admittedly, Hooker was surrounded by talent with his wide receivers Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman. Regardless of the supporting cast, Hooker’s 27 to two touchdown to interception ratio is an impressive feat, and a reason to consider the 25 year old signal caller in the NFL Draft.
Strengths
- Mobile enough pre-injury to be used in the read option. Extends plays and capable of running for first downs if not accounted for.
- Makes the easy plays look easy. Does not often over or under throw receivers within ten yards.
- Prototypical NFL size. Uses frame effectively to avoid defenders and make throws in the pocket.
- Strong enough arm for the next level. Not a Mahomes level cannon but can throw the deep ball and change velocity on shorter throws.
- Patient in all situations. Interception ratio was not lucky, it was a collection of calm, collected plays over the course of the season.
Weaknesses
- Questions of mobility following the ACL tear.
- Old prospect. Was playing against college players who were in middle school when he started college before breaking out.
- Stares down one receiver once the play starts, then if they are not open runs. Did not consistently display the ability to read a defense.
- Offensive scheme at Tennessee left receivers wide open often. Not a knock, but some plays even your average high school quarterback could have made.
- Fearless in the open field. Will try to make defenders miss at his own peril.
- Will not be able to take place in many of the important events of the pre-draft process.
NFL Comparison: Daniel Jones, but in a good way.
Projection: Late first to early second round pick
Best fit: Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders
Bottom Line on Hendon Hooker
Hooker was on pace to winning the Heisman trophy and being a top ten draft pick prior to tearing his ACL. The talent is there, and was seen as he elevated the Tennessee offense to new heights in 2022. While most draft analysts will have a tier of Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, followed by Will Levis and Anthony Richardson, I think Hooker should be firmly in consideration. The ACL tear will take some time to recover, but Hooker’s game was not just rushing ability. Jameson Williams tore his ACL in the National Championship game, and the Detroit Lions still traded up to take him at 12 overall.
Considering the cost to draft Hooker will not be as high as other quarterback prospects, he could come away as the steal of the draft. While teams trade up into a bid war to select one of the top three rated quarterbacks, Hooker could find himself in a better landing spot with a front office patient with his knee injury. His maturity, risk aversion and ability to run an offense effectively will make him a coaches dream for the draft capital they have to use.
Hendon Hooker Dynasty Outlook
While quarterbacks are king in superflex, it seems that the dynasty community is severely under rating Hooker’s value at the moment. In the same way if Levis is a first round pick in the NFL Draft he is a first round pick in dynasty, Hooker could find himself a steal at the back end of the first or beginning of the second. While he may not contribute year one, his talent should win Hooker an opportunity to win a starting job in the first three years. If the options are Will Levis at the 1.07 or Hendon Hooker at the 2.04, I will be taking Hooker everywhere I can.
