Getty Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker.
As of right now, the Las Vegas Raiders have a few options that are being discussed regarding their next quarterback. The most popular options are trading for Aaron Rodgers, signing Jimmy Garoppolo or drafting a rookie quarterback in the first round. What hasn’t been talked about as much is the team finding a solid bridge quarterback and drafting a developmental quarterback later in the draft.
Prior to suffering a torn ACL in November, Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker was among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. If he could’ve continued his high-level play, he may have been talked about as a possible first-round pick. He’s now expected to go later in the draft due to the fact that he’s already 25 and coming off a brutal injury. That’s not stopping the Raiders from taking a hard look at him.
According to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, Las Vegas has “met extensively” with Hooker during the pre-draft process.
Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker has met extensively with the Raiders, Panthers, Giants, Saints, and Cowboys during the pre-draft process, per source.
The dual-threat talent is expected be healthy and ready for training camp after suffering a torn ACL in Nov.
The fact that Hooker is on track to be ready for training camp will help out his draft stock quite a bit. Not many teams want to use valuable draft picks on a player who they won’t be able to see in action until a full year after they’re drafted.
Where Is Hooker Expected to Be Picked?
Hooker may have been able to convince a team to use a first-round pick on him if he was able to finish the college football season and participate in pre-draft workouts. There’s going to be a lot of uncertainty around him in the coming months. Despite that, there will be a team willing to take a risk on him but it won’t be in the first round.
A mock draft NFL.com has Hooker landing with the Seattle Seahawks in the second round. Another one from DraftWire has the quarterback falling to the New Orleans Saints in the third round. There’s a good chance he’ll be available in the third round but if the Raiders love him and don’t add a long-term quarterback option earlier, snagging Hooker in the second round could be a smart move.
Hooker Needs Work but Could Be Great
It took Hooker a little longer to become a household name than other quarterback prospects. He spent six years in college between Virginia Tech and Tennessee. He’s had a lot more time to develop, which might be a red flag for some teams. How close is he to his ceiling? He’s already older than Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts and Trevor Lawrence. Using a first-round pick on him is a big risk but waiting until the second round might be worth it.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com detailed what makes Hooker an exciting prospect but also discussed why there’s risk involved:
Hooker’s age and ACL tear will be starting points for many draft conversations, but the most important question to be answered is whether he can thrive outside of the Tennessee offense. Hooker was frequently a half-field reader, which means he could lean on spacing, speed and/or route combinations to make life easier. He’s more accurate outside the numbers than between the hashes and his deep ball placement was much more uneven than expected. However, Hooker plays with excellent poise and footwork as a pocket passer. He will make quarterback coaches and play-callers happy with his adherence to keeping plays on schedule. He’s still showing signs of improvement and growth at the position, and his ability to hurt teams with his legs creates opportunities to help his offense outside of what he does in the pocket. His recovery from the ACL tear will require monitoring, but he has the talent to become a starter in a timing-based, spread offense.