The Lions may have just picked Jared Goff’s successor in the 2023 NFL Draft — the sky’s the limit for Hendon Hooker in Detroit.
Whatever opinions you may have about the Detroit Lions in this year’s draft, you can’t deny that the franchise is making moves. After drafting a running back, linebacker, tight end, and a few other key positions early, the Lions selected Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker with the 68th overall pick.
Hooker was considered by most analysts to be a tier below the likes of Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud but still possesses several traits that make him an intriguing pick: passing accuracy, athleticism, and a stable pocket presence.
Detroit already have Jared Goff rostered short-term but clearly are looking ahead toward the future, which may be part of the reason why the franchise drafted Jahmyr Gibbs and parted ways with D’Andre Swift.
While some may have rightful doubts about Hooker’s ceiling, Lions general manager Brad Holmes gave Hooker an early stamp of approval on Friday and believes the Lions have the “right situation” for the young signal-caller.
“He’s a good person, he’s smart, he’s very talented, he’s had a unique journey and he’s overcame. So, he just has to get healthy. I believe we have the right situation for him, where he can just sit back, develop, get healthy. We’re excited about his upside.”
Lions are giddy with excitement about Hendon Hooker’s potential
Hooker was primed to win the Heisman Trophy in the 2022 season before he unfortunately suffered a torn ACL; in two seasons with the Volunteers, he racked up over 6,000 passing yards and 58 touchdowns in 24 games.
Like many other rookie quarterbacks, he’ll face a steep learning curve in the NFL having thrived in the Vols’ quarterback-friendly offense for the past two years, but as Holmes said, there’s really no rush for the 25-year-old.
Hooker has the time to “sit back” and develop behind Goff while also rehabbing his ACL, and many members of the Lions franchise have good reason to feel good about this pick.
At the very least, he’s a solid backup with starting upside and fits in well with the young team Detroit is currently building. Jared Goff was never going to be the long-term solution for the Lions — now, the team appears to have found a stronger-than-scotch-tape answer to the quarterback position for the years ahead.