Hendon Hooker In An Ideal Situation With Detroit

Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker has been in the shadows since suffering an ACL injury against South Carolina toward the end of 2022. The Heisman hopeful saw his stock dwindle, and he slipped until the No. 68 overall pick in the NFL Draft, where the Detroit Lions jumped on the opportunity to take him.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has gone on record that the team brass intends to take 2023 as a "redshirt year," where he can sit and learn behind current starter Jared Goff. It gives Hooker time to build confidence in his knee after a gruesome injury that still has him not entirely cleared for football activities. Goff has had professional success, making a Super Bowl appearance with the Los Angeles Rams and earning a long-term contract. There's a lot Hooker can glean from watching him operate each day in the building, teachings that should prepare him for a starting opportunity in 2024.

Heavy's Matt Lombardo got a few anonymous quotes from NFL coaches about the situation, and it seems like those around the league look at Hooker's situation as a positive. An NFC personnel executive told Lombardo, "I love him. I gave him a first-round grade. I had him as my No. 4 quarterback behind Will Levis. I had Hendon ahead of [Anthony] Richardson." An NFL coach also spoke with Lombardo, giving Detroit a sparkling review for their selection. "That was a great pick for Detroit. They get to let him get healthy and learn for a year behind Jared Goff. Hooker has the talent to be the guy in time, while not being thrown to the wolves as a rookie. You have no idea how much that’s going to benefit him."

Hooker flashed a bunch of physical tools during his two season with the Tennessee Volunteers. He measures 6-3 and 220 pounds with a one of college football's best deep balls. Hooker has an innate sense of how to throw a runnable football for his targets, one they can easily come up under on and make a play. The Vols had many explosive plays in previous seasons with Hooker, and if he can translate those to the NFL, the Lions are in good hands.

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