Why the NFL draft narrative surrounding Vols QB Hendon Hooker right now is incredibly disrespectful
Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker will be drafted by an NFL team next spring, but where he'll be drafted is a mystery. Hooker should've been a Heisman finalist this season. He had the numbers, the big wins, and the character to be on the stage in New York. Despite the great numbers this season, Hooker […]
Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker will be drafted by an NFL team next spring, but where he'll be drafted is a mystery.
Hooker should've been a Heisman finalist this season. He had the numbers, the big wins, and the character to be on the stage in New York.
Despite the great numbers this season, Hooker isn't viewed as a first-round pick by many analysts. Part of that is due to the torn ACL he suffered in Tennessee's loss to South Carolina in November.
But even before the injury, it felt like Hooker wasn't getting much first-round love.
And I'm not sure why. Hooker has ideal size, he's smart, he's a great leader, he has a great arm, he takes care of the football, and he sees the field well. Hooker isn't perfect as a quarterback prospect, but he was as good as any quarterback in college football this past season.
Now, here's where the disrespect comes in:
Anyone who watched SEC football in 2022 could tell you (if they're being objective) that Hooker played much better than Kentucky quarterback Will Levis.
Tennessee, which had one of the worst pass defenses in the nation in 2022, completely shut down Levis this season, limiting him to 98 passing yards and three interceptions.
Hooker, meanwhile, lit up Kentucky's "strong defense" for 245 passing yards and three touchdowns.
And yet after those performances, Pro Football Focus, among other national media outlets, is propping up Levis as a potential top 10 pick while suggesting that Hooker will only be an early day three pick.
Josh Heupel’s offense isn’t going to do Hooker any favors in the eyes of evaluators. The no-huddle, go-ball heavy attack is no stranger to putting up big passing numbers. Dillon Gabriel had monster years as a true freshman and sophomore at UCF in the same offense. It’s often asking the quarterback to do little more than count numbers to decide which route to throw. Because of the ultra-wide spread attack's propensity to “break” coverages, Hooker led the Power-Five in completions targeted 20-plus yards downfield that earned only a .5 grade or below (19). That means those throws weren’t anything special, but rather, his receivers were wide-open.
As a runner, he’s obviously very gifted, but when he breaks the pocket, he’s looking almost exclusively to run, not pass. On 151 dropbacks the past two seasons where he was moved off his spot, Hooker completed only seven passes!
When PFF talks about Levis, it's nothing but excuses for his poor 2022 season.
From PFF:
Unlike the man (CJ Stroud) above him on this list, there’s a good chance that Levis’ job will get easier the day he steps on an NFL field. He’s been under pressure on 37.8% of his dropbacks this season — the NFL average is 33.6%. Of his 110 targets 10-plus yards downfield this season, 46.4% have been into windows charted as tight — the NFL average is 39.7%. Despite all that, he still took care of the football with only a 3.0% turnover-worthy play rate under pressure.
With that in mind, Levis’ numbers look far less damning. Additionally, what his insane physical tools could become is far more intriguing. Levis has a rocket launcher for a right arm that he has claimed can throw 80 yards when he puts everything into it. Unlike some big-armed quarterbacks, he also pairs that arm strength with an ultra-quick release, which means very few windows are truly off-limits for him. He’s a plus athlete at his size as well, which we got to see more of in 2021 when he wasn’t suffering from turf toe. That season, he ran for 516 yards on 98 carries with 20 broken tackles. It’s also worth noting that he’s a dynamo on quarterback sneaks, converting 22-of-23 in his career.
Levis, for some reason, gets the benefit of the doubt, while Hooker, despite being everything an NFL team could want in a quarterback, doesn't.
Hooker deserves better. If anyone should get the benefit of the doubt, it's Hooker. He's gone through a ton of adversity dating back to his days at Virginia Tech and he's answered the call every step of the way. Hooker should be getting just as much draft hype as anyone right now.
Featured image via Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK