Hendon Hooker – QB (Tennessee)
The Vikings need to get a plan in place to prepare for life after Kirk Cousins. He is likely going to be Minnesota’s quarterback in 2023, but after that, it could be time to cut ties.
If that is the plan, it would make sense for the Vikings to get a potential heir apparent on the roster, and a player who could fill that role, who just happens to be at the Senior Bowl this week, is Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker.
Hooker had a second consecutive stellar season in 2022, where he threw for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns. He’s a big-bodied quarterback standing 6-foot-4 and tipping the scales at 218 pounds.
Hooker can take off and make plays with his legs, though he does look to throw the ball first. He doesn’t have a cannon for an arm but can make all the throws.
Hooker has a very quick release and is extremely accurate with his passes. He is also a team leader and a high-character guy who will step in on day one and be a positive influence on the team that drafts him.
Hooker does need to grow as a passer. He will sometimes throw the ball flat-footed, and the majority of his snaps in college were in the shotgun. So unless a team just runs read-option with him, he’ll need time to develop and get used to taking passes under center.
This will be a big week for Hooker down in Mobile. He is recovering from a knee injury that cost him the last two games of his season. If he looks on the way to a full recovery, it will send his stock back up to around that first-round range, if he still looks hobbled or weak, he may be more of a late day-two type of pick.