ESPN mock draft has Hendon Hooker as top-five pick in NFL Draft

Former NFL general manager turned ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mike Tannenbaum is high on Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker’s draft stock, to say the least. In his latest mock draft, published Tuesday morning, Tannenbaum had Hooker going at No. 5 overall to the Seattle Seahawks.

“OK, this one might raise some eyebrows,” Tannenbaum wrote of the pick, “but hear me out. I think Hooker is really under-scouted right now, largely because he’s coming off the torn ACL in his left knee. But I love his strong arm and 6-foot-3 frame. Before the injury, Hooker looked great for the Vols. He led the nation in yards per attempt (9.5), threw two interceptions over 11 starts and was a top-10 passer in terms of completion percentage (69.6%). I see a potential franchise quarterback and someone who can lead an offense. Go watch his performance against Alabama if you disagree.

“The Seahawks recently re-signed Geno Smith,” Tannenbaum continued, “but this is an excellent opportunity to draft and develop Hooker while also letting him rehab the knee. Smith turns 33 years old this season, and his new contract offers Seattle various outs over the next three seasons.”

Tannenbaum in total had three Tennessee players as first-round picks, with offensive tackle Darnell Wright going to the New England Patriots at No. 14 overall and Jalin Hyatt going to the New York Giants at No. 25 overall.

Hendon Hooker in two seasons at Tennessee: 6,080 passing yards, 58 TDs, 5 INTs

In 11 games last season, Hooker completed 69.6 percent of his passes, throwing for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions, leading the Vols to an 8-0 start before losing at Georgia. He tore his ACL on November 19 at South Carolina.

Hooker in two seasons at Tennessee passed for 6,080 yards, 58 touchdowns and was intercepted just five times. He completed 68.8 percent of his 632 pass attempts with the Vols, quickly proving to be the ideal trigger man in Josh Heupel’s uptempo offense.

Wright, 6-foot-6, 335-pound senior, anchored Tennessee’s offensive line and was named a First Team All-SEC pick by the Associated Press, USA Today and SEC Coaches. He was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and was twice named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week.

“I was impressed with Wright’s tape,” Tannenbaum wrote in his mock draft for ESPN, “especially when the 6-foot-5, 333-pounder faced Will Anderson Jr. and neutralized him in Tennessee’s huge win over Alabama. Wright allowed just one sack all season and also excelled during Senior Bowl week. The Patriots allowed a sack on 8.0% of their pass snaps, which was the third-highest mark in the NFL last season.

“New England has not been the same on the offensive front, and while it signed Riley Reiff, he is not a long-term answer. The Pats have to do a better job of protecting Mac Jones, and Wright would help.”

Jalin Hyatt could be ‘standout wide receiver’ the Giants are looking for

Hyatt last season became Tennessee’s first Biletnikoff Award winner, the trophy given annually to college football’s best wide receiver. 

Hyatt finished the regular season leading the country in touchdowns, with his 15 setting a new Tennessee program record. He finished with 1,267 receiving yards, only 31 yards short of matching the Tennessee record held by Robert Meachem, who had 1,298 yards in 2006.

Hyatt set a new Tennessee single-game record when he caught five touchdowns in the 52-49 win over Alabama in October, finishing the game with six catches for 207 yards. 

“It’s safe to say the Giants need a standout wide receiver,” Tannenbaum wrote. “I love how Hyatt flourished in Tennessee’s offense when Josh Heupel stepped in. He is slightly undersized at 6-foot and 176 pounds, but he has a lot of speed and posted 67 catches for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Hyatt could be the Giants’ WR1 as soon as the draft card is turned in.”