Tennessee's Hendon Hooker has been one of the more underrated quarterbacks entering the 2023 NFL Draft. But with an endorsement from Tennessee legend Peyton Manning, Hooker may no longer fly under the radar.
Manning spoke about Hooker's NFL potential at this year's Pro Bowl, via Tennessee Titans' beat reporter Jim Wyatt. Manning, being a Tennessee legend himself, sees a lot of strengths in Hooker's game.
“I think he'll do well at the next level,” Manning said of Hooker. “He had an incredible year. Whoever gets him on their roster is going to be lucky.
Manning said he saw Hooker at Tennesse's Orange Bowl practices. Hooker apparently told him he would be throwing by April. Hooker is still battling back from an ACL injury that shortened his season.
Article Continues BelowStill, Hendon Hooker played 11 games for the Volunteers this past season. He threw for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions. He added 430 rushing yards and five additional touchdowns.
Hooker's ACL injury might make some teams bullish on Hooker's status entering the NFL. But in his final year with Tennessee, the quarterback proved he can lead a potent offense. The Volunteers finished the year with the best offense in the country, averaging 525.5 yards per game.
Peyton Manning had a remarkable career for himself at Tennessee, with his No. 16 jersey being retired by the Volunteers. He has now watched Hooker become the latest quarterback sensation for the Vols.
He can't guarantee Hooker will have an NFL career as prolific as his. But Manning clearly sees upside for any team that decides to take a chance and select Hooker in the 2023 NFL Draft.