The Minnesota Vikings have a need at quarterback. Kirk Cousins is set to be a free agent after the season and there are a multitude of players that they could choose at the top of the draft.
ESPN’s Matt Miller released a seven-round mock draft on Sunday morning and he has the Vikings taking Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker at 23rd overall.
One of the most popular texts I’ve gotten from evaluators throughout the past 10 days has been some form of “Watch the Vikings for Hendon Hooker.” That could be NFL scouts connecting dots, but the Round 1 talk for Hooker has been red hot since the combine and the Vikings do make sense for the dynamic passer. With Kirk Cousins set to hit free agency following the 2023 season at age 35, finding his replacement should be a priority.
Hooker will need to adjust to the spacing of the NFL after playing in the tempo spread at Tennessee, but he’s accurate and mobile, and he throws a beauty of a deep ball. As for Hooker’s ceiling, one NFL quarterbacks coach I spoke to said he believes he can be a top-15 starter. “Look at [Jared] Goff, Geno Smith, Cousins … he has better all-around tools than those guys. The right system will help, but from a talent perspective, he can be a top-half-of-the-league guy.”
Let’s break this down. Miller says that he’s gotten a lot of texts saying “Watch the Vikings for Hendon Hooker” but also doesn’t say that it’s anything more than speculating. That’s something to keep in mind, as it could be reckless speculation.
The selection of Hooker would be a disappointment considering what he provides your football team and the question marks surrounding him. His age (25), torn ACL and an offense that doesn’t translate is a tough sell.
Over the rest of the draft, here is who Miller had the Vikings taking.
- 87. Northwestern CB Cameron Mitchell
- 119. Iowa State WR Xavier Hutchinson
- 158. Mississippi State DT Cameron Young
- 211. San Jose State EDGE Viliami Fehoko
