Figuring out where Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker was heading in the 2023 NFL draft proved an exercise in speculative futility. Hooker’s projections ranged from some top-10 predictions to deep into the third round.
In the end, Hooker was selected by the Detroit Lions early in the third round, No. 68 overall. One big reason for his drop from the lofty guesses is Hooker’s likely unavailability to play as a rookie as he recovers from knee surgery. That wasn’t a problem for Detroit.
In an appearance on longtime NFL defensive end Chris Long’s “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell indicated that the team does not expect Hooker on the field in 2023.
“This really is just a redshirt year for him,” Campbell told Long. “He’s got to get this leg right first; then he’ll learn under Jared (starting QB Goff) and let’s see what happens, you know? If he can eventually become your (backup), or maybe down the road later on it’s more than that. But it’s going to be a long time.”
Hooker had surgery to repair a torn ACL on December 13th after injuring the knee in his final game at Tennessee. While Hooker’s rehab is progressing nicely, it’s clear the Lions are not in any hurry to get him on the field.
Both Campbell and Lions GM Brad Holmes clearly stated before the draft that Jared Goff was the team’s starting quarterback. The redshirt year makes a lot of sense for a team like Detroit that doesn’t need an immediate starter.
