The Detroit Lions currently have a veteran starting quarterback in Jared Goff, but it seems like that’s not stopping the team from taking a look at the future of the position.
According to a report from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker will fly to Detroit to visit the Lions tomorrow.
The 25-year-old Hooker is an intriguing NFL Draft prospect, who very well could’ve won the Heisman in 2022 if he didn’t suffer an ACL tear towards the end of the season. There’s been a lot of buzz about Hooker being selected at the backend of the first round, so teams could have that fifth-year option, with his first season in the league looking like a potential redshirt year.
The Lions currently pick sixth and 18th in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. While that may be considered too rich to take a swing at a player like Hooker, the Lions could always trade back and accumulate more draft capital or use that abundance of capital to trade back into the latter half of the first round. The Lions also own the 48th and 55th picks in the second round, so it’s certainly possible that Hooker could be on the board then. However, having that fifth-year option could sway Detroit’s decision.
In any event, Hooker presents himself as an intriguing option for a team like Detroit that can afford to have a quarterback sit behind a veteran for a season or two.
[Ian Rapoport on Twitter]
