The New York Giants have a big offseason in front of them, looking to answer one of the biggest questions an NFL franchise can have—do they have a franchise quarterback?
Daniel Jones has been with New York since being drafted as a first-round pick in 2019. As a starter, he has a regular season record of 21-31-1 and a playoff record of 1-1. Jones has had three head coaches and four offensive coordinators in his four seasons as a pro.
His best season as a pro came in 2022 under first-year head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. Jones threw for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns, rushed for 708 yards and 7 touchdowns. All of those numbers are a career-best for Jones.
After declining his fifth-year option before the season, Jones is now a free agent entering 2023. If he decides to sign elsewhere or the Giants want to go in a different direction, there are other options. One avenue is through the draft and New York is doing their homework on a top quarterback prospect.
According to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network, the New York Giants are “extensively” scouting the former Tennessee Volunteer quarterback Hendon Hooker.
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.
Hooker, 25, led the Volunteers to be a nationally ranked program in 2022, becoming as high as No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Hooker received numerous awards during the season for being one of the nation’s best signal callers, including SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times.
Unfortunately, Hooker’s career year came to a halt after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 12 against South Carolina. In the 13 games he played, Hooker finished his final season with 3,135 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, two interceptions, 430 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
If it weren’t for his injury, the Redshirt Senior prospect would be in the conversation for being among the top quarterback prospects in the draft. His recovery from his ACL tear will drop his draft stock, but it’s certainly intriguing if New York found a way to draft Hooker later and develop him.
Could Hendon Hooker Be the Giants’ Answer at Quarterback?
With Jones being a free agent, his commanded price tag is higher than a drafted player’s salary. The 2023 franchise tag for a quarterback is estimated to be over $32 million. According to Over the Cap, projected salaries for players drafted in the second round will be between $1,130,773 to $1,826,188. The Giants pick No. 57 in the second round, which could be used on Hooker if they let Jones walk.
The quarterbacks on New York’s active roster would be Hooker and veteran Tyrod Taylor, accounting for $6.9 million against the cap in 2023. Financially, the Giants would save more money with Hooker and Taylor as opposed to bringing back Jones on the franchise tag or a deal that pays him annually in the $30 million range. Not to mention they allocate the funds to other free agents.
Comparing their final seasons in college, Hooker ended his collegiate career better than Jones did at Duke. The Tennesee Volunteer threw for 461 more yards, rushed for over 100 more yards and won three more games.
Pro #1: Hendon Hooker has the perfect blend of size and athleticism.
6-foot-4, 222 pounds, with elite speed and a well-built frame. Hooker looks just like the league’s top QBs.
Underrated ability to extend plays.
Hooker has a similar skill set to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen who Daboll worked with during his time as the team’s offensive coordinator. Both throw a tremendous deep ball and have the dual-threat capability as a runner.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com talked about Hooker as a prospect saying, “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.”
According to Fowler, Hooker “is expected to be healthy for training camp.” The Giants are doing their homework on the young quarterback for a reason. Even if they sign Jones to an extension, New York can still draft Hooker with a long-term future in mind.
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Giants ‘Extensively’ Looking Into Top QB Prospect: Report