Detroit Lions QB Hendon Hooker Progressing Well In OTAs

Former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker is taking great strides in his rehabilitation from his ACL injury.

On November 19th, Tennessee suffered their second loss of the season to the South Carolina Gamecocks 63-38. During the game, star quarterback and Heisman hopeful Hendon Hooker suffered a torn ACL that ended his season.

Despite the injury, he finished with a phenomenal stat line during the 2022 season. Hooker had 3 135 yards on a completion percentage of 69.6%. He also had a phenomenally great touchdown to interception ratio of 27-2. He was also a threat on the ground, with 430 yards and five touchdowns during the season. Later on, during the NFL draft back in April, the Detroit Lions selected Hooker 68th overall in the third round. Hooker was still in the middle of the recovery process from his injury. However, with Jared Goff on the Lions' roster, he likely will not get the starting role. This week during Detroit OTAs, the former Volunteer began making practice reps throwing the football for the first time with his new team at their practices. His passing to his Lions teammates looked very pure and on point as he made the reps with protective sleeves on his injured left leg. Detroit says that Hooker is on a fast track back to recovery. However, as said before, with the 7-year veteran Goff at the helm, there is no need to rush anything with him.

This is especially true if the Lions feel that Hooker is their quarterback of the future, which is what it seems to be. Besides himself and Goff, the other two quarterbacks on their roster are Nate Sudfeld and Adrian Martinez. Sudfeld has been a career backup and already has seven years in the National Football League. Martinez, much like Hooker, is a rookie and was an undrafted free agent for the team. Nonetheless, the former Tennessee star is progressing heavily back to the playing field and looking towards a bright NFL career. 

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