The 2023 NFL draft is less than two months away now and the Los Angeles Rams are projected to have 10 total picks. With the draft right around the corner, it’s time to begin looking at prospects that the Rams could target at various positions.
Between now and the day before the draft, I’ll be writing a prospect profile for a player the Rams could take to address a position of need. Even though Matthew Stafford is expected to return in 2023, the Rams could use a reliable backup quarterback, especially one that has a high ceiling.
While it remains to be seen if the Rams are scouting the quarterbacks in this year’s draft, there are a few guys the team could target, including Hendon Hooker out of Tennessee.
Background
Hooker began his collegiate career at Virginia Tech before transferring to Tennessee in 2021. In his two seasons at Tennessee, Hooker combined for 6,080 passing yards, 58 passing touchdowns, and only five interceptions.
The dual-threat quarterback also totaled 1,046 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns for the Volunteers. Hooker will be an older rookie at 25 years old and produced a 15-7 record as the starting quarterback at Tennessee.
How he fits the Rams
Some may view Hooker as simply a mobile quarterback, but his decision-making and accuracy are impressive (evidenced by his five interceptions and 68.8% completion percentage in two years at Tennessee). NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah mentioned Hooker as someone that would be a fantastic fit for Sean McVay’s offense if the Rams elect to select a quarterback in the 2023 NFL draft.
Hooker’s skill set would make him dangerous in bootlegs and play-action plays that allow him to move around the pocket. McVay hasn’t had an extremely athletic quarterback for a long stretch before, so someone like Hooker could unlock another level in his offense.
Draft projection
If Hooker didn’t sustain a torn ACL late in the 2022 campaign, he would likely be discussed as a first-round pick. Even with Hooker reportedly ahead of schedule in his rehab, Hooker is primarily being mocked during Day 2 of this year’s draft.
The Rams currently have the 36th overall pick in the second round and the 69th overall pick in the third round. It’s hard to predict where Hooker will go with teams typically having differing views on players coming off an injury — especially at the quarterback position — but the Rams may need to use one of their first picks if they want to add Hooker to their roster.
