Hendon Hooker is the quarterback prospect no one is talking about

It is highly likely at this point that Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson are all going to be first round picks. The fifth quarterback on most people’s big boards is one of the most interesting prospects in this year’s NFL Draft. Hendon Hooker out of Tennessee is extremely enticing.

Hendon Hooker is the quarterback prospect no one is talking about

Hooker’s draft stock through this last season skyrocketed. He looked like a potential Heisman winner and a first round draft pick.

He has the size standing at 6’3 and weighing in at 217 lbs. He has a big arm and the ability to push the ball down the field. He led all of college football last year in yards per attempt. He is athletic with the ability to create outside of the pocket.

He has many of the tools that NFL teams want. The only issue is that he tore his ACL last year against South Carolina. If that had not happened he would be the third quarterback off the board in this year’s NFL Draft.

ACL tears are an interesting thing. We have seen quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Carson Palmer go on to have good careers after tearing their ACLs in the early 2000s. That was when ACL surgery is not as good as it is now.

ACL tears used to be something that if it happened in any sport it usually hindered your career a great bit. Now, with the advances in the medical field and surgeries it looks more and more like it is just eight to 12 months where you can not play the game you enjoy.

With that being said, there have been players like Robert Griffin III who’s careers basically ended after tearing their ACL.

Hooker is a quarterback who is not nearly as mobile and run happy as RG3 was. The ACL injury should not effect his play style too much. He wants to stand in the pocket and deliver the football.

Because of this whoever takes him in the second or third round could end up with their quarterback of the future.

He has all of the tools. He can come in and play immediately. His floor is higher than Will Levis and Anthony Richardson, and he possesses the arm strength they both have and the size.

Yes, he is less athletic but you can be as athletic as you want at the quarterback position. It does not matter if you can not deliver the football on time and on target. Hooker does that better than Levis or Richardson. We will just have to wait a year to see that.