The Detroit Lions drafted quarterback Hendon Hooker in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, which was somewhat surprising considering they had a starter in Jared Goff, who had the franchise moving in the right direction.
Fast forward a year and Hooker has yet to take a snap in the NFL as he spent his first season working his way back from a torn ACL. Also, the Lions have now showered Goff with a massive extension that makes it clear he's here to stay.
Hooker is currently battling it out with Nate Sudfeld for the right to back up Goff, but there's no telling how that's going to go considering we don't have a read on the Tennessee product yet.
And that's reflected in the backup quarterback rankings from Sports Illustrated's Gilbert Manzano, who ranked Hooker as the No. 25 signal-caller, one spot higher than where Manzano had him last year.
Hooker was viewed as a potential first-round prospect last year, but a torn ACL caused him to fall to the third round. Now that he’s healthy, he’ll slide in as Jared Goff’s backup for his second season.
While the uncertainty surrounding Hooker is undeniable, it also creates an element of excitement, as it's quite possible he could be a good quarterback at some point. And, if that turns out to be the case, the Lions will have a major insurance policy in the event that Goff gets hurt, which could otherwise derail their Super Bowl bid.
