SEC Offensive Player of the Year Falling to Broncos Would Be ‘Fortuitous Turn of Events’

Getty Reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Tennessee's Hendon Hooker, falling to the Broncos in the third round would be a "fortuitous turn of events"

If the Denver Broncos were to land Reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft with either the No. 67 or No. 68 selection, it’d be a “fortuitous turn of events” according to Mile High Huddle’s Thomas Hall. If Russell Wilson can’t return to his pre-Denver form, Hall believes Hooker could be a solid contingency plan.

“The Broncos need to plan for the future in case Russell Wilson cannot rekindle the elite status he had before the blockbuster trade that brought him to the Mile High City,” Hall wrote. “If Hooker slides to the Broncos’ selection (pick 67 is the first pick), as some analysts have projected, it might be a fortuitous turn of events.”

Hall doesn’t think Hooker will be available by the time the Broncos are on the clock, but even if he was, there’d be some doubts in the back of the mind of the Mile High Huddle writer.

“Chances are, the Broncos won’t have to make that decision when they’re on the clock, as Hooker will likely be off the board, but if they are in that position, the front office should be careful about selecting an older prospect,” Hall wrote.

Broncos Should Be ‘Weary’ of Drafting Hendon Hooker

Hall had many worries about Hooker, with most of them pertaining to his age, and subsequently, the historical precedent of similarly-aged draft picks not panning out.

“History shows that there is reason to believe the Broncos should be wary of selecting Hooker,” Hall wrote. “He turned 25 years old in January, and regardless of what he could do on the college field last season, that fact alone doesn’t bode well. There have been zero skill-position players drafted from 2009 to 2019 who turned 25 years old prior to the draft and became an impact player in the NFL. There have been 14 players drafted at the positions of quarterback, running back, fullback, wide receiver, and tight end at 25 years or older, and while some have been primary starters, none have entered into impact player status.”

Not only would Hooker’s long-term health be a question for Denver, but the unknown timeline for when he can be an immediate contributor makes him a “two-fold” red flag as an early-round quarterback prospect.

“The issue with Hooker is twofold: the difficulty for those aged 25 or greater to have an impact in the NFL as described above, and also how soon he would be able to play effectively,” Hall wrote.

Hendon Hooker Could ‘Red-Shirt’ His NFL Rookie Season

Hooker would need to be a project for Denver — something that would seemingly elevate Jarrett Stidham to next in line should Wilson falter once again in 2023 — should the Broncos want to rehab the Tennessee signal-caller. According to Hall, Hooker could potentially need a “red-shirt” rookie season in the NFL in which he merely worked his way back to health and didn’t see any snaps.

“Coming off an ACL injury, Hooker will still need time to work back into healthy play on the football field, essentially “red-shirting” his rookie season,” Hall wrote. “Then, because of the offense he played in at Tennessee, he will need to develop his game for the NFL. That means that by the time he’s ready to take the reins full-time, he’ll be 27 years old — at the earliest.”

Hooker’s November 19 ACL tear in a 63-38 loss for Tennessee against South Carolina could’ve robbed the NFL of one of the great dual-threat playmakers under center. Odds will have been battled if Hooker can reverse that narrative.