Hendon Hooker explains why he believes he is the top QB in the NFL Draft
Hendon Hooker’s 2022 campaign started with plenty of optimism and blossomed into an eventual Heisman candidacy. However, after a season-ending ACL injury, Hooker was only able to watch and support his teammates as the Vols went on to win the Orange Bowl over Clemson.
Now, with the NFL Draft just days away, Hooker, who has excelled in rehab, is continuing to be brought up more and more in first-round conversations.
In a recent interview with USA Today, Hooker explained why he believes he is the top QB in the draft.
Hendon Hooker: ‘I won’t give you a ranking, but I will say I give myself No. 1’
“Of course, I would have myself at No.1,” Hooker told USA Today. “I won’t give you a ranking, but I will say I give myself No. 1,” Hooker said. “My football IQ. How I’m able to process things at a high speed. My competitive nature and how accurate I am with the ball. I can make every level throw and also deadly in the run game as well.”
Among the other top quarterbacks in the draft are Bryce Young, Will Levis, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson. While Hooker believes he is the top quarterback, he does not discount what his fellow peers bring to the game.
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“We all play completely different from another,” Hooker told USA Today on the other top quarterbacks. “Bryce is on the move and can make a lot of exciting plays with his arm and legs. He’s very cool to watch. C.J. has a very smooth throwing motion and can deliver the ball wherever he wants to. Will has a rocket of an arm and A.R. (Anthony Richardson) is a freak athlete. We all bring different traits to the table and we all want to compete at a high level.”
Up Next: NFL Draft, Thursday-Saturday, Kansas City
As the Draft draws near, Hooker’s name is becoming more intertwined with one team especially, the Minnesota Vikings.
“One of the most popular texts I’ve gotten from evaluators throughout the past 10 days has been some form of “Watch the Vikings for Hendon Hooker,” Miller said in his recent seven-round mock Draft. “That could be NFL scouts connecting dots, but the Round 1 talk for Hooker has been red hot since the combine and the Vikings do make sense for the dynamic passer. With Kirk Cousins set to hit free agency following the 2023 season at age 35, finding his replacement should be a priority.”
The Draft will commence on Thursday with the first round at 8 p.m. ET from Kansas City. The second and third rounds will follow on Friday night, with rounds four through seven concluding on Saturday.
