Seahawks great K.J. Wright's pre-draft take on Hendon Hooker did not age well

While he may not have received the same spotlight as some of his teammates, longtime Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright is easily one of the greatest players in franchise history.

Originally a 2011 fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State, Wright quickly became a starter on Seattle's vaunted defense and remained a staple of the unit throughout the 2010s. In 10 seasons with the team, Wright recorded 941 total tackles (68 for loss), 13.5 sacks, 54 pass breakups, six interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries. He only made one Pro Bowl, but as a key member of the 2013 Super Bowl team, his place in franchise history is more than secure.

If for some reason he wants to come back as a scout, however, the Seahawks may want to think twice.

K.J. Wright pounding drum for Hendon Hooker is hilarious in hindsight

Aug 23, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) looks to pass the ball against the Houston Texans during the second half at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

With the Detroit Lions releasing quarterback Hendon Hooker on Monday, a clip of Wright advocating for the Seahawks to draft him at No. 5 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft has resurfaced. A prime example of just how badly draft takes can age in a few years.

"Let's be honest here, there's this guy that I watched all season long," Wright said. "SEC Offensive Player of the Year, comes from a football background, plays quarterback, coming off an ACL injury. When I look at the quarterback from the Tennessee Vols, Henderson Hooker, gee. If the Seahawks take this man at pick No. 5, this will be a home run. I'm telling you, I look at this man, I see a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with Henderson. Bryce Young gon be gone, C.J. Stroud gon be gone, this is the future."

Never Forget when KJ Wright said that it would be a HR if the #Seahawks took Hendon Hooker 5th overall and that he sees a Super Bowl winning QB.

He added, “Bryce Young gonna be gone. CJ Stroud gonna be gone … (Hooker) is the future.” 😳😳😭 pic.twitter.com/Wc1j2GnXoX
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) August 26, 2025

Hooker ended up going to the Lions at No. 68 overall in the third round, but at the time, it seemed to be mostly due to the ACL injury he suffered late in his final season at Tennessee. After all, he was leading the Volunteers to the doorstep of the College Football Playoff and was the possible Heisman Trophy frontrunner at the time of his injury, so there was some potential there.

However, Hooker was downright awful this preseason, completing just 22 of 40 percent of his passes for 187 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. Combine that with the fact that he's already 27, and it's not hard to see why the Lions moved on. Head coach Dan Campbell even suggested that Hooker wasn't a fit in Detroit after Saturday's preseason finale against the Houston Texans.

"How much development do you believe there still is? Sometimes does the player need a change of scenery? What about our own depth in other areas?" Campbell told reporters. "I mentioned this the other day, relative to that -- all right, maybe there is room to grow. Is that worth it for the depth we need at O-Line, D-Line, receiver, DB? And so those are all things you have to weigh."

Draft takes age poorly all the time, but it's tough to find one that aged like milk as much as Wright's here. Then again, he didn't even get Hooker's name right, so maybe he wasn't all that invested.

K.J. Wright pounding drum for Hendon Hooker is hilarious in hindsight

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