Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker was a breakout star in 2022, nearly winning the Heisman Trophy and putting the Volunteers in the playoff mix before suffering a torn ACL. While Hooker’s knee injury ended his season, it might not have huge ramifications for his draft stock.
After transferring to Tennessee in 2021, beginning his Volunteers’ career as a backup, Hoooker became one of the best quarterbacks in college football. He posted a 181.4 passer rating with a 31-3 TD-INT rate in his first season at Tennessee. The following year, he was on pace to win the Heisman until he tore his ACL against South Carolina.
- Hendon Hooker stats (Tennessee): 58-5 TD-INT, 178.3 QB rating, 6,080 passing yards, 68.8% completion rate, 1,046 rushing yards in 24 games
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It was a devastating late-season blow for the Volunteers and wiped out Hooker’s opportunity to improve his draft stock. Once viewed as a future Day 3 pick, the 6-foot-4 quarterback climbed up draft boards and was viewed by many as a potential top-50 pick.
When combined with his age, the ACL tear seemingly ruled out any chance of Hooker being a first-round pick. He likely won’t be fully recovered and ready to start for an NFL team until 2024, when he would already be 26 years old. However, there now at least seems to be a small chance of him being a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated highlighted the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints as two teams who could consider using their first-round pick on Hooker. He also highlighted the Indianapolis Colts, if they pass on a quarterback with the fourth pick then move back into the first round to snag Hooker.
There is an incentive for a team interested in Hooker, or any quarterback prospect, to take them in the first round as opposed to waiting until the second round. Under the NFL collective bargaining agreement, all players drafted in the first round have a fifth-year team option in their rookie contract.
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It’s ideal to have for a quarterback, with teams given an extra year of contractual control to prevent them from hitting free agency. If the Saints, Vikings or Colts picked Hooker in the first round and he didn’t play in 2023, they could still have him under contract for another four seasons.
It still seems unlikely that Hooker will be drafted in the first round. The combination of his age, knee injury and the difficult transition from Tennessee’s offense to a pro-style scheme might push him into the second round. However, being drafted later could land him in a more favorable landing spot and that could be the best thing for his career.