The rare team to meet with all five of this year’s top quarterback prospects, the Raiders also must strongly consider using early-round picks to bolster their long-downtrodden defense. But if the Silver and Black use the No. 7 overall choice on a defender, it leaves the door open to its second-rounder being a tool to address their QB spot.
Hendon Hooker visited the Raiders earlier this month, and Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com notes the team is impressed with the Tennessee prospect. This intrigue includes Hooker, per Pauline, sitting third on the Raiders’ QB board — behind only Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. With the team viewing both players as likely to be off the board by No. 7, exploration of a Hooker investment enters the equation.
Coming off a November ACL tear, Hooker is not expected to be a consideration for the Raiders at No. 7. The team is indeed aiming to bolster its defense — potentially on all three levels — but Pauline adds it would be major surprise if Hooker slid past the Raiders at No. 38. Hooker has developed some momentum during the pre-draft interview period, and the notion of a team using late-first-round pick on the two-year Volunteers starter does not appear farfetched.
The Raiders trading back into the first round for Hooker would be a risk, considering the QB’s age (25) and injury past. Hooker would not be expected to play in 2023, given the Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo investment, and the team only has Brian Hoyer as an option behind Garoppolo. Hooker being a nonfactor behind Garoppolo would make Hoyer, who will turn 38 this season, the only true option if Garoppolo suffers another injury. The Raiders would also enter the QB-development business with a passer who would be 26 at the earliest point he could conceivably start for the team. Garoppolo signed a three-year contract that includes $33.75MM fully guaranteed, giving the Raiders the option of using the 31-year-old passer for multiple seasons.
Hooker is meeting with the Giants today. While New York seems like an unrealistic destination, he has also met with the Texans, Commanders, Saints, Lions and Buccaneers. The Vikings have also been connected to Hooker, though they are not believed to have used a “30” visit on him. The Saints also seem a stretch for Hooker, given Derek Carr‘s guarantees, but the Raiders could still be competing with a few other teams — depending on where this draft’s higher-rated QBs go — as the first round progresses. The Commanders hold picks 16 and 47; the Bucs sit at 19 and 50. Disregarding the Lions’ No. 6 pick, they also hold Nos. 18, 48 and 55. The Texans, who continue to be mentioned as a candidate to pass on Stroud at No. 2 overall, carry Nos. 12 and 33. Minnesota sits at No. 23 and does not have a second-round pick.
Both Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rank Hooker just outside the top 40. Prior to his ACL tear, the 6-foot-3 prospect piloted Tennessee to five wins over ranked competition — including a shootout conquest over Alabama. Hooker finished his two-year Vols run with 58 touchdown passes and five interceptions; the six-year collegian was far less prolific at Virginia Tech. As our Ely Allen points out, Hooker playing in what is viewed as a QB-friendly offense at Tennessee could affect his NFL development.
While Hooker joins Anthony Richardson and Will Levis in carrying risk as a first-round-caliber prospect, teams without a top-10 pick — or those who do not wish to use one on a non-Young QB — figure to have done extensive homework on Hooker going into the draft. The Raiders appear to be one of those teams.
They can talk about the top 3-4 QB’s in this draft all they wish but I don’t see any as better than Hooker. The question mark is the ACL injury of course, but before I’d take a chance on the raw talent of the kid from Florida, he’d be my choice for sure. Not a Vols fan but couple his arm, speed and size and to me at least, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him leading an offense soon
Hooker is also like 2 years older. He’s older than Pickett who was drafted last year.
I like HH, but 2nd round is all I’d go. He’d fit with the raiders for a Jimmy G insurance policy.
I like him a lot, as a Raiders fan, but I wouldn’t go past the 2nd, no matter what the writers think. He has some good traits, but he is also from a system where 2nd, 3rd, and 4th progressions weren’t much of a concern. I’m not sure if that translates well in the NFL.
My hope is that we go in with the idea that he will be taken by some crazy GM taking him in the low 20s. Trade back and focus on defense, a lot of defense. If HH drops to the 2nd round, only then start thinking about making a slight move to get a lower draft slot.
It’s not like I saw every Vols game but I just felt he has a lot of poise when the pocket is collapsing around him. He has the standard strong arm and good touch on his passes, but his legs and field sense are a plus. And he has size
To me, if you put him in an Alabama or Ohio State uniform, it is a no brainer
I dunno. The draft is a crap shoot especially in the modern era of the NFL
Maybe some who watched UT game in and game out has some better sense of things, but he sure seemed to be a problem for any defense he faced
Thanks for the comment. The legs and field sense is what makes Mahomes great. he has a nice enough arm, but the dude sees the entire field, every receiver, knows when the pocket is collapsing, knows how to buy another 2-3 seconds, everything.
A guy like Fields has a nice enough arm, can obviously run, but I don’t think he sees anything that’s not right in front of him.
Raiders gonna Raider
They do it to themselves. Not sure why they make it so difficult.
The scouts r right like what? 50/50? So excuse my “I watch college football all bud really know nothing” opinion. The tape is way better then Richardson. So the skills translate? Not so sure. I’m not sure any the qbs r stars but again, no really has a clue.so if I’m the raiders, why would I sign Jimmie if I’m starting a kid like this to be backup. They go defense. A team like the Seahawks who can cut hair in a year or two on their guy will take him in the second round.
I was going to say the same thing.
“Hooker has developed some momentum during the pre-draft interview period,”
I’d assume that is all guess work. There are 100 mock draft sites and I doubt that the GMs making their decisions talk to a single one of them. HH probably only has momentum in the mocks.
If he’s there in the second round I’d take him in a heart beat and have him hold a clipboard for two years.
His agent has done a good job leaking this interest to help push him into the first round to get that extra guaranteed money
Hooker isn’t going to be there at No. 38 overall. Raiders better find a way to trade back into the first round if they want one of the five premier QBs.
Nothing says Vegas like Hookers!
Do they really need another Hooker in Vegas?
Wouldn’t it be better to send a second round pick to SF for Lance rather than Hooker?
I’ve raised the same question. The issue with Lance isn’t the talent, even though he hasn’t proven anything yet. With only a small handful of games, and very little college, you could spend the entire 2023 developing him. Even if you are 100% right in the assessment, you only have two years before he gets expensive.
If HH spends the entire 2023 getting healthy and figuring things out, you would still have 3-4 years with him.
If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen. W/the new GM & Coach who knows what’s on there minds, but in my opinion it might be better for Hooker & his career that the Raiders pass on him!
Jimmy G is known for helping young QBs develop… Oh wait, no he isn’t.