The Indianapolis Colts reportedly are scheduled to host Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker for a top-30 visit ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, according to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network.
Though Hooker isn’t going to be in consideration for the Colts’ selection in the first round, there are plenty of teams who may target him during the second or even late first round of drafts.
According to Fowler, Hooker had a top-30 visit with the Houston Texans and also has visits scheduled with the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers along with the Colts.
Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker had a Top 30 visit with the Houston Texans, and will travel to the Giants, Titans, Buccaneers, and Colts in the coming weeks, per source.
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 11, 2023
With the Panthers trading up to the No. 1 overall pick, the Colts are likely to get the third quarterback off the board. However, they are still going to go through their due diligence when it comes to the majority of quarterback prospects in this class.
Hooker’s visit will likely be mostly so the Colts can get the latest updates on his recovery from ACL reconstruction surgery. He suffered the injury during the college football season and wasn’t able to go through drills at the NFL combine.
There are reports that Hooker could be ready to go by the time training camp rolls around, which would make some teams a bit more comfortable with his status.
Here’s what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said about Hooker in his scouting report while comparing him to Desmond Ridder:
Hooker’s age and ACL tear will be starting points for many draft conversations, but the most important question to be answered is whether he can thrive outside of the Tennessee offense. Hooker was frequently a half-field reader, which means he could lean on spacing, speed and/or route combinations to make life easier. He’s more accurate outside the numbers than between the hashes and his deep ball placement was much more uneven than expected. However, Hooker plays with excellent poise and footwork as a pocket passer. He will make quarterback coaches and play-callers happy with his adherence to keeping plays on schedule. He’s still showing signs of improvement and growth at the position, and his ability to hurt teams with his legs creates opportunities to help his offense outside of what he does in the pocket. His recovery from the ACL tear will require monitoring, but he has the talent to become a starter in a timing-based, spread offense.
It isn’t clear whether the Colts would seriously consider not taking a quarterback in the first round, but we shouldn’t dismiss anything out of hand.
Hooker is likely to hear his name called on Day 2 of the draft and even though the Colts are projected to use their first-round pick on a quarterback, this is still something to monitor.
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