Will Levis suffered the most notable slide among quarterbacks selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, but Hendon Hooker wasn't far behind.
Hooker, who played collegiately at Tennessee, was a first-round pick in some mock drafts. At bare minimum, he was considered a second-round lock who wouldn't last long on Day 2.
Instead, Hooker went unselected in the second round and lasted a few picks into the third round before the Lions traded up to draft him.
Some may view the Lions as an odd landing spot for Hooker. After all, they have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFC in Jared Goff, so why would Detroit be the team to chase Hooker?
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As it turns out, there's a fairly simple explanation for the Lions' draft strategy.
Why did the Lions draft Hendon Hooker?
The Lions drafted Hooker for a couple of reasons. First, they need a developmental quarterback to work with behind Goff.
Goff, 28, has been a solid starter for the Lions since he was acquired in the Matthew Stafford trade. But he is set to be a free agent in 2024 and hasn't performed at an elite level. Thus, it wouldn't be a surprise if Detroit explores finding an upgrade over him if they can't become a Super Bowl contender with the 2016 No. 1 pick.
Behind Goff, the team had only Nate Sudfeld, a 29-year-old who has been in the NFL since 2016 but has never started a game. He has done OK in mop-up duty, but there's no questioning that Hooker has more upside than Sudfeld at this point in their respective careers.
But while Hooker fills a need for the Lions, he's also a solid value pick. As mentioned, some NFL analysts believed he would be a first-round pick this year.
Getting Hooker in the early stages of the third round could end up being a steal, especially since the Lions can give him the time needed to get healthy and learn how to play in a pro-style offense.
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Hendon Hooker stats
There was a lot of hype surrounding Hooker because he put up excellent numbers during his time at Tennessee. He threw for 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions during his senior season and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
| Year | School | GP | Comp % | Yds | TD | INT |
| 2019 | Virginia Tech | 10 | 61.1 | 1,555 | 13 | 2 |
| 2020 | Virginia Tech | 8 | 65.3 | 1,339 | 9 | 5 |
| 2021 | Tennessee | 13 | 68.0 | 2,945 | 31 | 3 |
| 2022 | Tennessee | 11 | 69.6 | 3,135 | 27 | 2 |
Hooker also was a threat to run; he racked up 2,079 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground during his career.
MORE: Full list of Lions draft picks in 2023
How old is Hendon Hooker?
Hooker turned 25 on Jan. 13. He is expected to be one of the oldest quarterbacks selected in the 2023 NFL Draft — if not the oldest. It depends on whether Georgia's Stetson Bennett is drafted.
The reason Hooker is older than many other top prospects is that he spent six years playing college football. He was at Virginia Tech from 2017-20 before playing at Tennessee in 2021 and 2022. He was redshirted in 2017 and got an extra year of eligibility via the NCAA's COVID-year rule implemented in 2020.
While Hooker will be coming into the NFL later than most prospects, he also will come in with more experience than most. That may help him to quickly integrate himself into Detroit's offense — provided that he can get healthy before the start of his rookie season.
MORE: Where will Stetson Bennett be drafted?
Hendon Hooker injury update
Hooker needs to get healthy because he tore his ACL late in his final season at Tennessee. That's one of the reasons he fell to the third round despite getting first-round buzz.
The good news is that Hooker appears to be progressing well. He claimed that he would be ready for the start of the season at Tennessee's pro day in late March.
"I just met with my doctor . . . and he said I would be good (for the start of the season)," Hooker said. "I’m looking forward to that."
On eve of the draft, Hooker posted a video of himself working out and performing dropbacks for the first time. That was viewed as a positive step in his recovery.
First day of dropping back during this mornings session… feels great to move around again #StackingDays pic.twitter.com/Pqy9aKnFhP
— Hendon Hooker (@henhook2) April 26, 2023
So, it would seem that Hooker should indeed have a chance to be ready for the start of the season. The good news is that the Lions won't have to rush him if he is not. He will likely spend most of the 2023 season working behind the scenes. In some ways, landing in Detroit could be a boon for his development.
