The Minnesota Vikings have a need at quarterback of the future. What they will do to find that player is currently up in the air. There is a lot of speculation on what they would do and it’s continuing with mock drafts.
ESPN’s Todd McShay is one of those analysts in the camp that believes the Vikings will select Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker with the 23rd overall pick.
The Vikings have quietly been putting in some work on this QB class. Despite the team’s 13-win season, Kirk Cousins was just 23rd in QBR at 49.9. Plus, he’s turning 35 this summer and will be entering the final year of his deal. Sitting behind Cousins for a year to learn the pro game and fully recover from his torn ACL could be the perfect setup for Hooker, who led the nation in QBR last season before the injury (89.5).
Hooker is accurate to every level of the field but really thrives throwing deep. Some scouts might be wary of drafting a 25-year-old QB, but he has the talent to lead an NFL offense. I’ve talked to folks with a few teams that even have Hooker above Levis on their internal boards. He has interviewed really well this spring, and the tape is phenomenal. Alternatively, Minnesota could try to get another receiver alongside Justin Jefferson, go back to the cornerback well or bring in another big tight end.
Hooker is a very intriguing prospect on many levels, but the age and coming off a torn ACL in November leaves a lot cause for concern. I wrote about not wanting to draft Hooker before round three and I still believe that.
