Hendon Hooker

Hendon Hooker 2023 Fantasy Football Rookie Profile

Overview

Hendon Hooker is a senior quarterback prospect from the University of Tennessee. Hooker spent his first three seasons at Virginia Tech, one of which he was redshirted. In his two seasons as an occasional starter, he threw for 2,894 yards and 24 touchdowns in 18 games. He transferred to Tennessee for his junior season in 2021, where he impressed in 13 starts. He completed 68.2 percent of his passes that season for 2,945 yards, 31 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

Hooker’s senior season was electric before tearing his ACL on Nov. 19 against the University of South Carolina. He completed 69.2 percent of his passes and again had a single-digit interception total (two). In addition, he ranked eighth in touchdown passes (32) among NFL Draft-eligible quarterbacks and overall passing grade (90.8), per Pro Football Focus (PFF). As a result, most analysts believed he would be a favorite for the Heisman Trophy until the ACL tear derailed those dreams. However, he still finished fifth in voting for the prestigious award. 

Not only is Hooker an accurate and intelligent passer, but he also has upside in the rushing attack. His 566 rushing yards in 2022 ranked eighth among draft-eligible quarterbacks. His 7.4 Yards Per Carry (YPC) was tied with Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson for the best in all of college football. Hooker also added five rushing touchdowns to his resumé in 2022. Over his four seasons in college, he netted 2,964 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns on 301 attempts.

Pros

• Rare combination of size and athleticism
• Patient in the pocket
• Pocket pressure doesn’t affect his delivery
• Above-average acceleration in the rushing attack

Cons

• Will be entering the NFL at 25 years old
• Takes too many big hits as a rusher
• Inconsistent on deep throws
• Struggles to throw on the move

Hendon Hooker Player Comparison

Geno Smith (Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks)

This isn’t the sexiest player comparison on the surface, but it makes sense. Geno Smith was a casualty of his landing spot when coming into the league in 2013.  Drafted by the New York Jets in the second round, Smith was thrown into the fire immediately, starting all 16 games that season. However, he struggled with deep ball accuracy, completing 43.3 percent of passes beyond 20 yards, throwing seven interceptions to four touchdowns in that range. In two seasons as the primary starter in New York, Smith threw 34 interceptions to 25 touchdowns before losing the starting job in 2015.

Smith ultimately moved on as a backup for the New York Giants, the then-San Diego Chargers and Seattle Seahawks. However, after spending time developing as a backup over the course of seven seasons, Smith broke out in 2022, showing growth in his ability to throw an accurate deep ball and be a more intelligent rusher. 

Similarly to Smith, Hooker is more of a project quarterback. He has similar deep ball accuracy issues, completing 44.1 percent of throws beyond 20 yards in his senior season. Both of his interceptions were on throws beyond 10 yards.  However, no one expects him to be a starter out of the gate like Smith was. As a likely day-two selection in the NFL Draft, Hooker will land behind an established starter. He will have time to work on his accuracy and decision-making inside and outside the pocket while learning the ins and outs of the NFL.   

Hendon Hooker Fantasy Football Outlook

While injuries and age have impacted Hooker’s draft stock, there is still value to be had with him in fantasy football. He is doubtful to be an impact player in any format in 2023, especially given he is still recovering from the unfortunate ACL tear in November. However, with time to learn behind an established veteran, Hooker could be a valuable fantasy asset in the future. 

In redraft formats, Hooker is best left off your draft boards this season. He is unlikely to start at any point in the season, barring an injury. If he does get snaps, even a significant amount, they won’t net you much in the way of fantasy points. However, in the unlikely event that we see the late year-one breakout, he will be available on the waiver wire and ready to be picked up.

Hooker is going off the board in dynasty rookie drafts as the QB5. As with any rookie, you should be drafting him prepared to let him sit on your taxi squad. However, he won’t be on your taxi squad for long in a league where mobile quarterbacks have become the norm. Depending on his landing spot, he could be a year-two or three breakout candidate with rushing upside.  

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