Hendon Hooker Lands a Top 30 Visit with Colts
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With the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in the books, teams will begin to set up times to meet with prospects individually. Each team is given 30 visits where they can have the prospect physically in their facility.
The Indianapolis Colts have scheduled a top-30 visit with quarterback Hendon Hooker out of the University of Tennessee, according to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network.
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Hooker was on the verge of what looked like a Heisman season this past year with the Volunteers, which included a huge win over conference rival Alabama, throwing for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns as well as 430 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns. Sadly, Hooker's season wouldn't end as he hoped, as a torn ACL in November against South Carolina wrapped it up.
While Hooker is still recovering from his injury, which may take him out of consideration in Round 1 for QB-needy teams, he could be a very enticing option come day two of the NFL Draft. Hooker has the ideal size for the position, standing at 6’4" and weighing 218 pounds. Pair his size with his mobility, accuracy, and efficiency at Tennessee, and there is a lot to like about drafting Hooker on day two. He finished last season with a 69.6% completion rate and only 2 interceptions, as well as ending the season second in the nation with a quarterback rating of 89.4.
Along with the questions about how his ACL recovery will impact Hooker in the long term, there are concerns that NFL teams have. He's the oldest of the top-tier QBs in this draft class at 25, so if a team drafts him with the intent of essentially redshirting him in 2023, he will be 26 before he can even compete for a starting or backup job.
Pair that with the offense he ran in Tennessee being a vertical spread, tempo offense, which has seen very little success at translating to the NFL in recent memory, and it might affect his stock.
Whichever team drafts Hooker will have to decide if his pros as a prospect outweigh the cons. Will he be able to convince the Colts to pass on a QB with the fourth pick and target him on day two of the draft?
