Hendon Hooker tore his left ACL on Nov. 19, but the former Tennessee quarterback is off crutches and still thinks he's the best player available in April's NFL Draft.
Hooker spoke to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero ahead of the Reese's Senior Bowl, and said he's off crutches and should be running by the end of March. He confirmed that he will be ready for training camp barring any setbacks.
Former Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker, who tore his left ACL on Nov. 19, is off crutches and told me he should be running by end of March and ready for training camp. He’s at the @seniorbowl to speak with teams — and says he’s still the best player in the draft. More on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/lYZpB6jbFV
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 30, 2023
The 25-year-old Greensboro native had one of the best seasons in college football in 2022; he passed for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions in 11 games. He also rushed for 430 yards and five scores of his own.
Despite the impressive numbers and the fact he led the nation's top offense with the Tennessee Volunteers, Hooker isn't expected to be a high draft pick in April.
That could be due to a multitude of reasons, but according to Pro Football Focus, it's mainly due to his advanced age, the offense he played in at the University of Tennessee and the fact that he tore his ACL in November.
“Josh Heupel's offense isn't going to do Hooker any favors in the eyes of evaluators. The no-huddle, go-ball heavy attack is no stranger to putting up big passing numbers,” PFF wrote in its scouting report on Hooker.
“As a runner, he's obviously very gifted, but when he breaks the pocket, he's looking almost exclusively to run, not pass. On 151 dropbacks the past two seasons where he was moved off his spot, Hooker completed only seven passes.”
PFF has Hooker being drafted on day three of the 2023 Draft, somewhere between rounds four to seven. Although Tennessee fans won't love the projection, a quarterback from Josh Heupel's offensive system will need to excel in the NFL for that narrative to change.
It will be intriguing to see what NFL team takes a chance on Hendon Hooker when the draft rolls around in April.
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