Leading up to the 2023 NFL draft, the New York Giants spent a good amount of time scouting Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. They also met with him extensively and hosted him on a top-30 visit.
The interest was genuine.
If Hooker, who is currently rehabbing from a torn ACL, slid a bit more in Round 3, the Giants and general manager Joe Schoen likely would have drafted him.
Interesting nugget: the Giants did view Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker as a genuine option at value in this draft if he fell far enough, considering he'll basically have a redshirt year. They have their quarterback in Daniel Jones, obviously, but Hooker's visit was a genuine look
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) April 29, 2023
Hooker ultimately went to the Detroit Lions at No. 68 overall. The Giants later traded up and took his former Tennessee teammate, Jalin Hyatt, at No. 73 overall.
On Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker's 30 visit to NJ + if Giants' interest was real:
Definitely was real. Feeling was if Hooker's ACL pushed him into the third round, the value as a potential redshirt would be hard to pass up.
Hooker went 68. Giants turned 89 into 73 (Hyatt).— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) April 30, 2023
The interest in Hooker was unrelated to Daniel Jones, who signed a four-year, $160 million deal this offseason. Rather, the Giants would have “redshirted” Hooker in 2023 and focused on developing him over the next several years. And with Tyrod Talor slated to hit the free agent market in 2024, it would have provided New York valuable depth and a potential trade piece down the line.
Of course, if things don’t work out with Jones, Hooker would have also been a nice fallback option.
From Dan Duggan of The Athletic:
If Hooker slid, the Giants could have picked him in the third round with the intention of giving him a “redshirt year” on injured reserve this season. Then they’d have a talented backup on a cheap rookie contract for the next three years, which coincides with Jones’ sky-rocketing cap hits.
But that’s not how the cookie crumbled and the Giants passed on all other available quarterbacks. They did sign some undrafted free agents and invited others to rookie minicamp, but none carry the potential high-ceiling value Hooker does.
