With the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft set to begin on Thursday night, many fans are wondering how many quarterbacks will be taken on the first night. Last year, Kenny Pickett (No. 20) was the only QB taken in the first round.
This year, we could see as many as five quarterbacks -- Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, Anthony Richardson, and Hendon Hooker -- taken on Thursday night. Oddsmakers have the OVER 4.5 set at (-192), according to Sports Interaction. Hooker is the wild card out of those five-signal callers, as he's 25 and coming off a torn ACL, which he suffered in November.
With his age and injury, some teams might hesitate to take Hooker in the first round. However, all 32 teams got a letter from Hooker's doctor, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who said that the former Volunteers QB is on a timeline to be fully cleared by the first weekend of the 2023 NFL season, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.
Below, we'll discuss some potential landing spots for Hooker, which could make some bettors some cash on draft night.
Who Will Draft Hendon Hooker? NFL Draft betting odds for Hooker's landing spot
Odds courtesy of Sports Interaction
| Team | Odds |
| Minnesota Vikings | +351 |
| Houston Texans | +501 |
| Seattle Seahawks | +702 |
| Tennessee Titans | +1003 |
| Tampa Buccaneers | +1003 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +1204 |
| New England Patriots | +1204 |
| Detroit Lions | +1304 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +1404 |
| Washington Commanders | +1404 |
| New Orleans Saints | +1504 |
| Baltimore Ravens | +1605 |
| Green Bay Packers | +2006 |
| Atlanta Falcons | +2507 |
| Miami Dolphins | +2507 |
1. Minnesota Vikings (+351)
It doesn't come as a surprise to see the Vikings as the betting favorite to take Hooker. They have the No. 23 pick, and while Minnesota could take a wide receiver to pair with Justin Jefferson or beef up their porous defense, we can't rule out the possibility of Hooker here.
Kirk Cousins can become a free agent after the 2023 regular season, and Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell spoke about the idea of developing a quarterback at a press conference earlier this month.
"Ideally you would like to have that person in that role developing behind a great player like Kirk, but I don't think you ever sacrifice it being the right player," explained O'Connell (h/t Pro Football Talk).
Minnesota could be an ideal landing spot for Hooker, as he wouldn't have to right away and could continue to rehab and get ready for the 2024 season.
2. Seattle Seahawks (+702)
The Seahawks are one of a few teams with multiple first-round picks (Nos. 5 and 20) in this year's draft. They can take a defensive player at No. 5 and use No. 20 to take Hooker to sit behind starter Geno Smith, who was re-signed this offseason.
If you are looking to place a wager, this could be a prime spot to throw down a half-unit. The Seahawks had success with Smith last season, but the jury will be out to see if the vet can build off his performance from last season. There's also a small chance that Seattle shocks everybody and takes Anthony Richardson at No. 5 to develop at least one year behind Smith. That's why we say only go with a half unit because betting on the draft is very fluid, as all it takes is one move to throw the entire board out of sync.
3. Detroit Lions (+1304)
The Lions are another team to watch when it comes to Hooker, as they also have two first-round picks (Nos. 6 and Nos. 18). Detroit is coming off a better-than-expected 2022 campaign with Jared Goff under center, but despite Goff having a good season, the Lions also have to think about the future. Goff will be 31 when he's a free agent in 2025, so he's not old, but he still might have hit his ceiling.
Hooker could be the heir apparent and fit right in with Detroit's talented young core. At 13/1 odds, it wouldn't be a bad wager, as Hooker figures to go in the back-half of the first round.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+1003)
Finally, the Buccaneers are a wild-card option for Hooker, but bettors shouldn't completely disregard the possibility. Heading into 2023, the only quarterbacks on their roster are Baker Mayfield (signed to a one-year deal) and Kyle Trask (drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft). Neither is a sure thing for this year, let alone the future.
If Mayfield struggles early on, Hooker could come in and play well in a loaded offense with talent at the skill positions. Hooker reportedly met with Tampa Bay earlier this month, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Buccaneers have the No. 19 overall pick, so they would have the next best opportunity to take Hooker after Detroit. At 10/1 odds, it's not farfetched to think about the Buccaneers taking a quarterback as they prepare for life after Tom Brady.
