Getty Sean McVay during the January 8, 2023 road game in Seattle.
The Los Angeles Rams are now predicted to swoop up a first-round talent in the NFL Draft via the newest mock from Ryan Nelson of CBS Sports on Sunday, April 16.
But the kicker is, this talented quarterback isn’t projected to fall to No. 36 — as offensive tackle Cody Mauch of North Dakota State is picked to take that spot. Nelson and CBS believe that falling all the way down to the 69th selection of the draft is Hendon Hooker of Tennessee.
Yes, the same Hooker who has some mocks — notably from former NFL general manager turned ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum — placing the Volunteer dual-threat passer as high as No. 5 overall come April 27.
Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum selected Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker (25 years old; coming off torn ACL) 5th overall in an ESPN NFL mock draft.
“This would be a shocking first-round pick…. one of the more shocking high first-round picks in my history at 45 years.”- Mel Kiper Jr.
While this certainly isn’t the first time the 25-year-old Hooker has been linked as a Rams possibility, it’s definitely striking that there’s the new belief Hooker will fall out of both the first and second round…and be available for the Rams’ second pick from what CBS and Nelson now predict.
Has Hendon Hooker Become a Hard-to-Predict QB?
Before the draft process began to pick up prior to the NFL Combine, there was hardly any thought of Hooker being called a top-five prospect.
One of the first teams to be mentioned as a potential fit for Hooker was the Rams. NFL draft expert for the NFL Network, Daniel Jeremiah, told reporters via a conference call on February 24 that he really liked the fit Hooker would bring to the Rams if lured in.
“I think he can do everything that Sean McVay wants to do. You start with accuracy and decision making. He can move around, so you’re going to be able to use all that stretch-bootleg (offense). He’s going to be very comfortable doing that. He can think the game really well. We’ll see how high he ends up going, coming off the injury. I think he would have been a first-round pick if he didn’t get hurt, even with the age (25). I know people talk about how old he is, but he’s a really solid player. I think he would be a great fit in that system,” Jeremiah shared.
But since then, Hooker has become one of the few QB prospects with a hard-to-predict placing in the draft. There are those who believe he’s got first-round talent written all over him when looking at his arm and leg production. But there are those believing he’ll fall due to being an older QB and coming off an ACL injury that ended his Heisman Trophy hopes in 2022. Pro Football Focus is one who isn’t buying Hooker as a first-round talent.
“With each passing day there seems to be another credible draft analyst who expects Hooker to be a first-round pick, but we struggle to see it happening. A 25-year-old prospect coming off a torn ACL is tough to believe on its own, but the teams commonly linked to Hooker also don’t make a ton of sense,” PFF’s Brad Spielberger wrote on Monday, April 17.
However, NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks calls Hooker the third-best QB in this draft.
“I’ve personally been on the redshirt senior’s bandwagon for months now, ranking him behind Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud but ahead of Will Levis and Anthony Richardson in my Top 5 lists,” Brooks wrote on Friday, April 14. Brooks additionally praised how Hooker is a “dart thrower” and adds how “the 25-year-old’s poise, patience and precision make him a plug-and-play prospect at the next level.”
Draft Analyst Has Rams Going Opposite of CBS Picks With First 2 Picks
As is the case for mock drafts, not everyone will have the same prediction. And for Dane Brugler of The Athletic, he has the Rams doing the opposite of the CBS Sports prediction: He has the Rams turning to defense first.
Brugler projects Iowa State’s mammoth and dynamic edge rusher Will McDonald IV going No. 36 in his Monday predictions. The Cyclone has long been considered a top option for the Rams in the second round as they seek pass rushing help.
But coming in at No. 69 is a surprise: Jartavius “Quan” Martin, safety, Illinois. It’s the first time Martin has been considered a draft possibility for the Rams in any mock draft. Martin, though, brings positional versatility as a defender who can play safety and cornerback — which could make him a candidate for the “star” role Jalen Ramsey leaves behind.