Hendon Hooker's stock is peaking at just the right time.
The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and while four QBs are stone-cold locks to be selected in the first round, Hooker's case to be the fifth is solidifying leading into Thursday.
An ACL injury cut Hooker's 2022 season at Tennessee short, but that hasn't stopped teams from scouting the potential first-round passer. The Giants, Lions, Buccaneers, Commanders and Raiders have all had meetings with the prospect, leaving plenty of intrigue entering April 27.
He's getting a lot of first-round buzz, but there are some drawbacks to Hooker as a prospect. He may have a built-in redshirt year in 2023 because of the ACL injury, which he suffered in November. He's a bit older, entering the draft at 25 — that's already older than some of the league's established superstar QBs. He comes from an offense that doesn't exactly translate to the NFL, too.
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Still, that hasn't quelled the thoughts of Hooker going in the top 31. Here's what to know about the Volunteers passer, and potential first-round pick:
Hendon Hooker scouting report
Hooker excels in a few areas: He has a quick, compact release and enough arm strength to make all the throws in the NFL, though he doesn't have elite arm strength. He has good footwork and solid mechanics in the pocket, which would put him just behind the C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young tier in this year's draft.
Hooker fumbled the ball a lot in college (26 in five years) but has only thrown five interceptions in his last 24 games (632 passing attempts).
There are some questions surrounding Hooker. Of his passing attempts in 2022, 97 percent came from shotgun and not under center. Tennessee's offense was exceptionally quarterback-friendly, leading to some questions over how Hooker will operate a more intricate scheme at the next level.
His ball placement and accuracy, especially over the middle of the field, need some work, too, as does his pocket presence.
MORE: How long is Hendon Hooker out?
Hendon Hooker NFL comp
Hooker has gotten a few different comps. Three of the most prominent to have surfaced:
Geno Smith: Pocket passers with mobility, who are operating from a spread offense in college. Both look to pass first and run second, but can make plays outside of the pocket.
Desmond Ridder: Neither guy possess a big arm down the field, but can make all the throws. They also have a similar frame.
Jalen Hurts: While they have different builds and different play styles, Hooker's intangibles have drawn a decent amount of comparisons to Hurts, who had a breakout season in 2023.
Jim Nagy, director of the Senior Bowl, recently explained why Hurts and Hooker belong in the same conversation:
The takeaway from Jalen was, don't ever put a ceiling on these guys that are, like, high-end competitors, high-end workers, high-end leaders. And say what you want about Hendon's tape, we can all watch his tape and pick apart scheme and things of that nature, but he's the same as Jalen in those three areas.
They're a little bit different personalities, Jalen's like, super-intense, he's a really intense guy. Hendon's a little more laid back than that. In terms of the worker, the competitor — that's why you're seeing that rise. That's why teams are feeling good about him, because of all of that stuff you can't coach.
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Hendon Hooker mock draft
Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson will all come off the board relatively early in one order or another. Here are some teams that could take a shot at Hooker in the first round:
Commanders (No. 16): The Commanders need to find an answer to quarterback in the long-term, and with Eric Bieniemy in Washington now, Hooker has an opportunity to learn from one of the most distinguished offensive minds in the NFL.
Lions (No. 18): The Lions are in a weird spot with Jared Goff. He's performed well in his two years in Detroit, but is he the long-term answer at quarterback? Goff gives Hooker a one-year bumper to get healthy
Seahawks (No. 20): Geno Smith may have signed a big-money deal, but Seattle can get out after a year should he regress in 2023. Why not learn behind the guy who you've been compared to?
Giants (No. 25): The Giants had a pre-draft meeting with Hooker, this coming after they re-signed Daniel Jones to a big-money deal. If Jones doesn't continue his ascent, then the Giants may opt to move on to a quarterback with a more controllable contract and a passer picked by the Brian Daboll-Joe Schoen regime.