This year’s draft class is widely expected to produce four first-round quarterback draftees, and it could follow 2021 in seeing three taken in the event’s first three picks. Beyond the Bryce Young–C.J. Stroud–Anthony Richardson–Will Levis contingent, however, this draft class could produce another early-round QB pick.
Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker could be a candidate to either land in the second round or sneak into the first. The Saints will look into Hooker during a Tuesday visit, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. In sending the Broncos Sean Payton‘s rights, the Saints hold the No. 29 overall pick in this year’s draft. They traded their own — No. 10 — to the Eagles before last year’s draft.
Transferring from Virginia Tech in 2021, Hooker put up big numbers in both his Tennessee seasons. Over the past two years, he posted a 58-to-5 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio. The 6-foot-3 passer also topped 1,000 rushing yards over his two Volunteers campaigns. However, an ACL tear halted Hooker’s senior season after 11 games.
Teams will understandably be leery about Hooker’s health and his age; he turned 25 in January. But the experienced prospect could be a sleeper addition for a team willing to use a high pick here. He led Tennessee to a win over Alabama, accounting for 441 yards in that shootout and sporting a 5-0 TD-INT ratio against the SEC power. The Vols beat five ranked teams with Hooker at the controls last season.
Hooker could also appeal to teams that do not have an early pick. The Buccaneers, Commanders and Titans come to mind here. The Saints certainly profiled as a team that could have used a quarterback prospect in 2021 or 2022, but this offseason moved that need to the back burner.
The Saints will meet with Hooker despite having two veteran quarterbacks — Derek Carr and Jameis Winston — on their roster. The team should not be expected to deviate from its Carr plan for a bit; the ex-Raiders starter is locked into $70MM and can up that total to $100MM if he is on New Orleans’ roster next March. Winston, however, accepted a pay cut and is only signed through 2023.
The Saints taking a quarterback in the first round would surprise, given their Carr investment, but the team holds the No. 40 overall pick as well. The team has a longstanding history of addressing other needs early in drafts. New Orleans has not taken a quarterback in the first or second round since selecting Archie Manning second overall in 1971.
Some clown on espn has him going number 5 overall. He reminds of Jalen hurts in that he’s a tremendous athlete who I don’t think has the true arm talent to play in the nfl but hope he pulls a hurts and proves me wrong. But #5, cmon man.
Hooker looks 46 years old
bro looks like like a politician
He’s gonna be 27 before taking a single snap… Hard pass on this guy.
Please let the Saints draft him. He’s nothing like Hurts. Before he got hurt. He looked like Burrow did at LSU. Wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up being the best QB from this class.
If he falls into the 2nd round or later, I could absolutely see the Saints taking him, and eventually replacing Hill in the Swiss Army Knife role.
with the value of QBs I’m not going to be surprised if someone trades up to take him late r1
I could see that happening, too, although I think the knee injury keeps him as a Day 2. I will say this, he’s a very good athlete, and if he goes to a team that will give him a “redshirt” season, which will likely happen just by the injury alone, he could be a sleeper pick in a couple years.