Getty Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during a game against the Chicago Bears in January 2023.
It’s been suggested the Minnesota Vikings trade into the top-10 or make a run at Lamar Jackson, but they could also just select a QB 23rd overall instead.
The common logic has been that a signal-caller possessing the appropriate value for a selection in that range doesn’t exist in this draft, meaning moving up or holding off are the only two paths for a team like Minnesota. However, after a highly successful combine, Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker could prove the exception.
Bruce Feldman of The Athletic went as far as to project that the Vikings will select Hooker in the first round in a mock draft published on Thursday, March 30.
“The Vikings could have a hard time passing up the player who eventually takes over for Kirk Cousins,” Feldman wrote. “The 6 feet 3, 217-pound Hooker is coming off of an ACL injury that shortened his fantastic senior season for the Vols. … [But] the Vikings don’t need to play him now, so he can keep healing and have time to develop in Kevin O’Connell’s system.”
“I’m told that Hooker shined in NFL QB interviews with coaches at the combine, displaying a lot of maturity and an excellent grasp of not only the Vols offense but also his former offense at Virginia Tech,” Feldman continued. “I wouldn’t be shocked if Hooker gets picked higher than [Will] Levis, as some NFL coaches I talked to liked his game more than the Kentucky QB’s.”
Hooker’s Maturity, Accuracy Offer Positives For Vikings
GettyQuarterback Hendon Hooker of the Tennessee Volunteers drops back to pass during a game against the Missouri Tigers at Neyland Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
Hooker was an outstanding performer at the collegiate level, getting better with each passing season. He passed for more than 3,100 yards, 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions across 11 games played in 2022, completing his passing attempts at a 69.6% clip, per Football Reference. Hooker tacked on 430 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground as well.
After five years of college football, one downside for Hooker is that he will enter the NFL at the ripe age of 25. To put that into context, Jackson is just one year older and has already played five professional seasons and won an NFL MVP. But Hooker’s maturity could help him adapt quickly to the professional game and ought to make playing behind Cousins for a season or two while learning the ropes a relative breeze.
While Hookers’ plusses clearly outweigh his minuses, a first-round selection for the quarterback remains a stretch. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN ranked Hooker as the fifth-best quarterback prospect on his most recent big board, and he would likely be the fifth signal-caller taken in Minnesota selects him at No. 23. But Kiper does not have Hooker coming off the board in the opening round. As such, the Vikings would be reaching for the QB by drafting him in that range. But if Hooker hits, he has the potential to be the top steal of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Hooker Faces NFL Learning Curve, Coaches Say He’s Ready
GettyQuarterback Hendon Hooker of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during pregame warmups prior to a contest against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on November 5, 2022 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Coaches who informed Feldman’s projection spoke about Hooker in glowing terms.
They all acknowledged that there will be a learning curve when it comes to reading NFL defenses, but a full season behind Cousins and under O’Connell’s tutelage should help bridge much of that gap before Hooker is ever asked to start a meaningful game.
One collegiate coach whose team played against Hooker in 2022 summed up what the quarterback offers a professional franchise.
I think he’s super underrated. He played in two significantly different offenses. I was super impressed with him both in our game and on tape. … He would sit in the pocket and hang tough.
He can make all throws, can throw with touch. He might not run straight-line as fast as Levis, but I think he’s able to escape and create better and has much better pocket presence.