Hendon Hooker expects to have his name called in the first round. That notion may come to fruition after the latest update on his torn ACL.
The former Tennessee quarterback looked primed to win the Heisman Trophy after leading the Volunteers to a No. 2 ranking late into the 2022 season. However, a torn ACL against South Carolina on Nov. 19 ended Hooker’s Heisman bid and season.
Despite the injury, Hendon Hooker has got a lot of first-round attention. He’s mature at 25 years old. He’s played in two types of offenses, starting his collegiate career at Virginia Tech. His numbers at Tennessee, playing in the Southeastern Conference, were astronomical — 58 touchdowns and five interceptions in two seasons.
The only hiccup is the ACL injury. However, those concerns may have been calmed. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Hooker’s doctor, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, sent every NFL team a letter stating the QB is on track to be available the first weekend of the 2023 season.
Shortly after the report, Hooker posted a video of him doing dropbacks for the first time since his surgery.
The expectation was for Hooker to redshirt his rookie season. And any team that drafts him this weekend may have the same strategy. Yet, his fast recovery does speed up his development clock. If he can be active on the practice field next season, that’s a huge lift.
Hendon Hooker has (-150) odds to get selected in the first round, per DraftKings. He looks like a first-round pick at 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds. He’s intelligent and has a cannon arm.
Hooker met with several intriguing teams, including the Washington Commanders and New York Giants. The Commanders have stressed their love for Sam Howell as starting quarterback. The Giants just re-signed their quarterback Daniel Jones to a mega four-year deal. Yet, the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Texans, who have two first-round selections, are teams likely to select him.
