The Detroit Lions went into the NFL draft with a large amount of draft capital in the early rounds of the draft. They had two picks in each of the first three rounds with picks at the twelve and eighteen slots during the first round. Many Lions fans were hoping that the Lions would trade up or select a quarterback in the draft, selecting one of the four between C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis. Instead the Lions traded out of their six slot received the twelfth pick and reached on Alabama running back Jahymr Gibbs. They then again according to most analysts reached with the eighteenth pick with their acquisition of Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell. Finally after a full day and two whole rounds the Lions drafted 25 year old quarterback out of Tennessee, Hendon Hooker.
This leaves many Lions fans in scrambles on whether or not Hendon Hooker’s pick is supposed to represent the future of Lions nation or not.
Jared Goff is heading into what will be his second to last year on his six year contract and for many it could be considered his make or break season. As of right now, the organization is committed to Jared Goff and general manager Brad Holmes has stated this countless times but for who will hold the helm in the future is still uncertain. But after this season the pathway to being the starting quarterback is wide open for both quarterbacks or a potential newcomer in next year’s offseason.
Hendon Hooker will be an astonishing 25 year old rookie, to paint that on the broad side of the barn according to a statistic put out by thedraftnetwork the average age of drafted rookies in the past ten draft classes is 21.5. Hooker was a five year player in the NCAA playing three seasons with Virginia Tech, and then transferring to Tennessee for his final two seasons.
Hooker became a breakout player during his time with Tennessee where he would throw a combined 6,080 yards, 58 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions with 631 thrown attempts. Hooker put up outstanding numbers in his final two seasons while playing in the NCAA and it shows. He ended his time in Tennessee with a career record of 18-8, and his most victorious win during the 2022 season when he led the Tennessee Volunteers to a 52-49 victory over the number three ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.
After his 2022 season performance he became a highly sought after prospect heading into the early stages of the offseason. As the offseason continued it seemed like his draft value plummeted and he was seeming like a late day two early day three pick. A lot of this was due to a late season ACL tear that would sideline him for the entirety of the offseason. Then out of the blue his value skyrocketed pushing him into many analysts and mock drafts first round selections which came as a surprise to everyone. Then when Hooker pulled a Bo Callahan and dropped to the third round the Lions quickly snatched up an opportunity with so much face value and even more futuristic value.
A lot of the boost in draft stock is bound to Hooker’s exquisite physical build. Standing at 6 ‘4 and 218 lbs is incredible and for Hooker to be able to manipulate pockets so well is one thing that all scouts love about him. His movement from sideline to sideline is more than adequate and his superiority in arm strength builds for a perfect prototype that teams covet for in a future quarterback.
Unfortunately with every pick like Hendon Hooker there is always the bluntness of reality and that is the fact that he is not pro ready, and work has to be done to prepare him for the big stage.
First off Hendon Hooker is as old as a rookie can get and he’s not getting any younger, the longer he sits and the Lions prepare him, the narrower his gap becomes. On top of that Hooker had a late season ACL tear and his odds of being ready by week 1 are in a constant limbo. Hooker also has had a recent struggle with accuracy and for a quarterback that’s not exactly ideal. The Lions also have no idea what Hooker is going to exactly be able to contribute since they have yet to see Hooker play on the field for workouts or drills due to his ACL tear.
While playing under the very successful Heupel offense Hooker never had the proper responsibility that he will need to sustain in a pro like style offense in the NFL. Heupel loved to just run play after play which left Hooker with very little time to analyze any situation or play that he was part of. Which in part could leave him at a disadvantage when he gets to the pro level and is starting game to game. The immaturity that may have rooted itself into Hookers play style could take years to succumb and could be the downfall for Hookers potential.
Hendon Hooker definitely has the potential to be a starting quarterback for the Lions in the future. The defitness of how soon though is the fog of war in this situation, Campbell and the Lions seem more then content with Goff at the helm and Hooker being 25 as is, is the downside of this scenario. If Hooker heels and rehabilitates well the odds of Hooker being the starter in the future is more than bright, but if things go sideways his time as a potential starter could be more then short lived.
