
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.