Former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker continues to be predicted as the first-round selection for the Minnesota Vikings in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Things were spun into a frenzy back in March when NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah had the Minnesota Vikings selecting former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker with their first-round pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
Many were surprised by Jeremiah’s choice for the Vikings since most draft analysts don’t believe Hooker is a first-round prospect.
Well, now another notable mock draft has Minnesota using the No. 23 pick on Hooker in this year’s NFL Draft. This time, the prediction was made by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.
Should we start considering the chance of Hendon Hooker landing with the Minnesota Vikings to be more legitimate?
Feldman pointed to the Vikings needing a replacement for Kirk Cousins in 2024 as a big reason for their selection of Hooker in his mock draft.
Feldman also shared that the former Tennessee quarterback “shined” in his interviews with coaches at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine and that he “wouldn’t be shocked” if he’s drafted ahead of former Kentucky quarterback Will Levis this year.
Some might blow their mock drafts off as nothing, but given their connections to people inside the league, Jeremiah and Feldman both predicting Hooker to land with Minnesota is not something to ignore.
The Vikings definitely haven’t been hiding their intentions when it comes to their future plans with Cousins. A gigantic message would certainly be sent to Minnesota’s current starting quarterback if the team actually did use their first-round pick on Hooker this year.