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Hendon Hooker is fluid on the soccer subject and mobile in NFL meeting rooms, in which he is been hurdling considerations about his age, wellbeing and participating in style.
The 25-year-aged previous Tennessee quarterback who tore the ACL in his still left knee considerably less than five months in the past has expended his predraft visits with teams outlining the complexity of the Volunteers’ seemingly simplistic spread offense. It truly is a single that has lifted problems about how his activity will translate to the professionals, the place he’ll have to study the overall discipline and not lock in on his most important concentrate on so considerably.
“I can make any toss,” Hooker explained. “The way we run our offense, the extensive splits, those people are all grown-guys throws. I am not throwing any 5-yard outs. People are all big-boy balls.”
Hooker pounces at questions about how he’ll do in a pro fashion offense.
“I are not able to help that defenders are not able to guard my receivers. My work is to get them the ball,” Hooker reported. “A ton of these thoughts about one particular-sided reads, we have pure progressions and routes. It truly is not my fault that my 1st examine is getting open.”
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And do not be fooled, Hooker additional, there is a good deal going on beneath that interesting demeanor of his that will make it seem like he is just leisurely participating in catch.
Hooker figures to be the fifth quarterback picked in the NFL draft later on this thirty day period, driving guaranteed-hearth to start with-rounders Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson.
“I actually like Hendon Hooker,” NFL Community draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah reported, citing his accuracy, acumen and adjustability.
Hooker’s age — he’ll convert 26 by the finish of his rookie season — and overall health — he tore the ACL in his still left knee in a sport against South Carolina on Nov. 19 — have lots of predicting that he’ll slide into the next spherical. But Jeremiah has him heading to the Vikings at No. 23 in his newest mock draft.
The 2022 SEC Offensive Player of the 12 months invested a few years at Virginia Tech and the previous two at Tennessee.
Patrick Mahomes is just two a long time more mature than Hooker but has currently performed six NFL seasons and won a pair of Super Bowl rings. Jalen Hurts is 24 and has three years’ NFL experience and a Tremendous Bowl visual appeal.
“If you instructed me you draft Hendon Hooker in the 2nd round and he is your commencing quarterback or seven, eight truly very good years, I feel you choose it,” Jeremiah reported. “I think Hendon Hooker has a probability to be a authentic price select for anyone.”
Hooker could stop up sitting a yr at the rear of an recognized starter, also, a thing that would assuage any concerns about his surgically repaired knee.
The far more pressing problem is how Hooker’s game will translate to the upcoming amount soon after working in Tennessee’s tremendous unfold offense, the place he experienced to get the ball out lickety-split and seldom came off his very first read.
Putting that type aside, “I’ll just say when you are analyzing him, the accuracy, the conclusion-making, the poise, the athleticism to be capable to transfer all around and build with his legs, to throw as perfectly as to operate, all these things are all there,” Jeremiah siad.
At Tennessee, Hooker was what scouts contact a “half-industry reader.”
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay figures that was far more a item of Josh Heupel’s offense than a flaw in Hooker’s game.
“The stories from each team I’ve talked to about him is he is carried out a great job receiving on the board and understands ideas and can go back to his Virginia Tech playbook and recite everything like he was playing in it yesterday,” McShay explained. “That’s component of why it really is so important with the quarterbacks to have person time, personal workouts, personal meetings, to seriously analyze their brain and how they find out.”
Hooker relished demonstrating off his football acumen on the white boards.
“Any time I stroll previous a mirror and there is an Expo marker, I’m going to attract on the mirror,” Hooker explained. “That is just anything I delight in carrying out since I enjoy the recreation of soccer.”
Heupel reported the offense Hooker was questioned to operate at Tennessee was not as simplistic as it appeared.
“I’m not guaranteed anyone in college football has much more on their plate than Hendon does,” Heupel explained. “Then, you throw in the tempo that we play at, you have acquired to be a speedy choice-maker, you have acquired to acknowledge defensive composition particularly rapidly. … He controlled the full recreation on every single one engage in. I believe that places him in a excellent position to be ready to transition at the following level and take care of all that is coming at him.”
Heupel mentioned the intangibles such as management and charisma are what will make Hooker somebody’s franchise quarterback.
“I’ve in no way been about anyone which is been a much better or extra impactful chief than Hendon Hooker is,” Heupel reported. “Our software is not where by it’s at nowadays except Hendon is a element of our locker space.”