Todd McShay explains why Hendon Hooker should go late in the first round in the NFL Draft

Where Hendon Hooker is selected in next week’s NFL Draft could come down to the NFL’s rules concerning rookie contracts for first-round picks. That’s how ESPN’s Todd McShay explained it Thursday during a conference call with reporters.

Draft picks selected in the first round get a fifth-year option along with their four-year rookie contract. That’s why, according to McShay, so few quarterbacks get drafted in the second round.

“Listen, here’s the deal,” McShay said. “The round in which quarterbacks have been drafted the least — only two times in the last five years — is the second round. The reason is if you believe and have a second-round grade on a quarterback, anywhere to fringe second round, early second round, you try to take him in the first and get that fifth-year option.”

McShay, in a mock draft posted earlier this week that went three rounds and alternated picks with Mel Kiper Jr., had Hooker as an early second-round pick, going at No. 37 overall to the Seattle Seahawks.  

Hendon Hooker passed for 6,080 yards, 58 TDs, 5 INTs in two seasons at Tennessee

“This is where I’d feel comfortable taking Hooker if I were running a draft room,” said Kiper, who made the pick in the split mock draft. “Seattle was able to fill defensive holes with its top two picks, and now it can try for its quarterback of the future. Geno Smith’s contract shouldn’t prohibit the Seahawks from taking Hooker if they like him.”

But on Thursday McShay said that despite Hooker’s age — he’ll turn 26 during his rookie year in the league — and the torn ACL he suffered in November, he’s still worth a pick late in the first round depending on the team.

“Seeing his improvement and knowing that he’s going to have a learning curve going from that scheme at Tennessee … I think he could use a year (as a backup),” McShay said. “… But to me, I would draft late in the first if you’re a team like Minnesota or a team like Seattle, trying to trade back in, because you’re going to get that fifth year.”

Hooker completed 69.6 percent of his passes in 11 games at Tennessee last season, throwing for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions. He tore his ACL on November 19 at South Carolina. In two seasons with the Vols he had 6,080 passing yards, 58 touchdowns and was intercepted just five times. He completed 68.8 percent of his 632 pass attempts.

Up Next: NFL Draft, Thursday-Sunday, Kansas City

McShay’s example on Thursday was Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, the second-round pick who was selected at No. 53 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, the fifth quarterback taken. On Tuesday Hurts agreed to a five-year, $255 million extension with the Eagles.

“It was phenomenal doing what the Eagles did, drafting Jalen Hurts in the second round,” McShay said. “And having the foresight to do so and develop him and they wind up trading Carson Wentz. They drafted him in the second round after they just gave Carson Wentz a boatload of money, a longterm contract. And Carson Wentz didn’t live up to it. They had the foresight to do that and a lot of other teams had (Hurts) as a third-round pick. 

“But my point is,” McShay continued, “had they taken him late in the first round, instead of at what, pick 53 overall, whatever it was, they would have an additional year. So they would’ve been able to do that deal that they just did, which is a great deal for both sides, a year from now. And would’ve bought them extra time to sign like a (defensive tackle Javon) Hargraves that they lost in free agency. 

“It’s really important to teams to draft a quarterback that they have in the first or early-to-mid second round in the first round so they get that extra year.”