Many around the NFL world have been speculating throughout the NFL Draft process when Tennessee Volunteers star quarterback Hendon Hooker would be selected. It took a while, but one team finally took a chance on him in the third round on Friday night.
Hooker had a ton of success at Tennessee last season, but there were concerns about his ACL injury that ended his season last year.
These concerns saw him slip all the way to the third round when he certainly could have been taken higher. With the No. 68 pick in the third round, the Detroit Lions stopped Hooker’s slide.
Hendon Hooker to the Detroit Lions at No. 68. 🏈📺#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/n1FYiTBfnb
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 29, 2023
It is a pick that has been rumored after Hooker went on a visit earlier in the draft process to Detroit. Regardless, the pick certainly raised the eyebrows of the NFL world.
Lions draft QB Hendon Hooker 68th overall 🦁
HUGE. pic.twitter.com/LKOAMh1XjL
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 29, 2023
Hendon Hooker is a Detroit Lion. There’s our backup QB. Maybe the long-term QB after 2023. We’ll see. I’m excited to get Hooker. He was going OFF in 2022 before the injury. We got a good one. 🦁🔥📈#OnePride | #NFLDraft
(via @CBSSports)
pic.twitter.com/eg4d1grvNJ— Tony Dombrowski (@tonydombrowski) April 29, 2023
Hendon Hooker can SLING the rock pic.twitter.com/8nTHvq2o1X
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) April 29, 2023
Welcome to Detroit, Hendon Hooker#OnePride pic.twitter.com/bjrmk6NHmy
— Barstool Detroit (@BSMotorCity) April 29, 2023
Jared Goff was drafted in 2016.
He is only 3 years older than Hendon Hooker who was just drafted to compete with him in 2023. pic.twitter.com/f4IR11D5Pd
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 29, 2023
HENDON HOOKER IS A DETROIT LION
LEGEND. THANK YOU. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/cEa6ker2fy
— Barstool Rocky Top (@BarstoolTenn) April 29, 2023
QB alert! The #Lions have selected Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker at No. 68. Finally.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 29, 2023
It is a particularly interesting selection because the team already has Jared Goff at the quarterback position, who performed admirably last season.
He finished the 2022 season with 4,438 passing yards to go along with 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. More importantly, he led the Lions to a 9-8 record, which was their first winning season since 2017.
Goff will likely still be the team’s starter heading into the 2023 season, but it does put some pressure on him to perform now that Hendon Hooker is in the building.
Hooker is a rare prospect, coming to the Lions as a 25-year-old rookie. He is actually only three years younger than Goff, which seems shocking considering Goff has been in the NFL for seven years.
At the very least Hooker can be a solid backup for Detroit, and could become their starter in the future if he impresses the Lions’ coaching staff.
[Awful Announcing on Twitter] Photo Credit: ESPN