*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Teams Project Hooker to Second Day of 2023 NFL Draft
Updated Oct. 27, 2022By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
One of the breakout stars in college football this season has been Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker. After leading his team to a surprising upset over Alabama, he has received a ton of media attention, including speculation on when Hooker could get drafted. WalterFootball.com spoke with sources from a handful of NFL teams about Hooker, and they all had him projected to the second day of the 2023 NFL Draft.
“He’s a Day 2 guy,” said an area scout. “Good-sized kid, athletic, smart, and a good worker. The challenge for him is going to be how quickly he can adapt from that scheme to an NFL one. There hasn’t been a ton of successful players out of it. [The NFL] has been down that road so many times; the guy with all the tools and aptitude who struggles adapting. The issue is when you take them high, nobody is waiting on them anymore. You used to be able to take that guy and sit him for a year or two, [and] get them a ton of reps in training camp before handing them the reigns.”
At 6-foot-4, 218 pounds, Hooker has good size, and he has been a dynamic dual-threat weapon this year. In 2022, Hooker has completed 71 percent of his passes for 2,093 yards, 18 touchdowns and an interception. He also has 315 yards on the ground and another three scores. One team source said they had Hooker going slightly higher.
“I would say second [round] at the latest,” said a director of player personnel. “High-level character, 24 years old and mature.”
Hooker could continue to rise if he maintains his dominant play and leads Tennessee to new heights like its first college football playoff berth. Heading into the back half of the season, the consensus with NFL teams has Hooker projected to the second day of the 2023 NFL Draft.
