2023 Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update: Hendon Hooker
The NFL Draft is behind us, rookie drafts are taking place, and as dynasty managers, we are looking ahead to the upcoming season. In our Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update series, we break down all the incoming fantasy-relevant rookies, looking at their profiles and where they fit. The basis of the rookie profile involves the usage of STORM analysis, focusing on five key components: Situation, Talent, Opportunity, Risk, and Market.
SITUATION
Name: Hendon Hooker
Position: Quarterback
Pro Team: Detroit Lions
College Team: Tennessee
Draft Status: Round three, 68th overall
Hendon Hooker is a fifth-year QB prospect who started his collegiate career at Virginia Tech and then transferred to join the Tennessee Volunteers. Hooker was a highly regarded four-star dual-threat QB coming out of high school in North Carolina. As an older QB prospect, is he more of a value or a fade at this point?
TALENT
Hendon Hooker Combine Results:
Height: 6′ 3″
Weight: 217 lbs
Arm: 33“
Hand: 10 ½”
40-Yard Dash: Did not participate
10-Yard Split: Did not participate
20-Yard Shuttle: Did not participate
Vertical Jump: Did not participate
Broad Jump: Did not participate
The discussion with Hooker begins with his age and the unfortunate knee injury he suffered against South Carolina on November 19th, 2022. It is promising that in April, Hooker said he should be cleared for activity by the start of September. There is no need for Detroit to rush him back, though, with Jared Goff holding down the QB position for now.
Hooker showed some solid athletic ability on film, and his last “official measurements were from the High School combine he attended. There were reports of Hooker running a 4.67 40 Yard Dash in 2021. He isn’t Anthony Richardson or Lamar Jackson, but he shows enough ability to use his legs to gain yards when needed.
The next thing we will need to find out about Hooker is if he is a system QB. Typically at Tennessee, he was only required to read half the field and was rarely required to go through all of his progressions. He is inconsistent at times with his throws, and he is inaccurate at times when under pressure. Hooker also needs to work on his pocket presence so that he won’t take needless sacks at the pro level.
Hooker has a strong arm that is on display on deeper throws. While not on Russell Wilson’s level, his deep throw accuracy is fantastic, and will play well in a play-action offense. Hooker does a solid job of keeping his eyes downfield and not allowing the rush to impact his delivery. As evidenced by his 58:5 TD to INT ratio, he doesn’t take needless risks and is a good decision-maker with the football.
OPPORTUNITY
Detroit Lions Depth Chart:
Data courtesy of 4for4.com
The knee injury is a concern, but if you draft Hooker with an eye toward 2024, there is some good upside. Goff is currently signed through the 2024 season, but the Lions can easily get out from under his contract after the 2023 season with only $5 million in dead cap space if they are looking to free themselves from his $31 million cap hit in the 2024 season.
Nate Sudfeld is little more than a backup at this point. A year behind Goff while allowing his knee to heal would be very beneficial for Hooker. Detroit thought enough of Hooker coming off his knee injury to draft him early in round three. Fantasy fans should be excited about the situation currently in front of Hooker on the Lions.
RISK
Data courtesy of Sports Reference.
The knee injury and a possible lost season in 2023 should concern fantasy fans. There was a narrative coming out of Virginia Tech that Hooker couldn’t handle the cold, which led to his transfer to Tennessee. Hooker himself says the decision was made based on the coaching staff at Tennessee.
Data courtesy of Sports Reference
Hooker is a smart QB who doesn’t turn the ball over often when you look at his 80:12 TD to INT throughout his career. He does not turn the ball over often and is consistently looking to make the smart play.
MARKET
Courtesy of May DLF SF Rookie ADP.
Hooker is currently being drafted as the QB5 and 21st pick overall in May Rookie SuperFlex mock drafts over at DLF. That is a decent amount of draft capital for an unknown commodity at this point. That type of draft capital will carry risk, obviously, if Hooker sits in 2023. However, there was talk that Hooker might have played his way into the first round of the NFL draft before the injury that cut short his final season.
Looking at MFL rookie draft data at DLF for one QB league, Hooker is being drafted as the 30th overall pick and the QB5.
Courtesy of DLF’s Trade Analyzer.
The Trade Analyzer sees sneaky value in Hooker at the moment in SuperFlex drafts. In SuperFlex drafts, he is being drafted towards the end of the second round in rookie drafts. There are some intriguing names in the “Suggested Players” list.
Hooker is a good prospect with the potential to be a starting QB in the NFL. He has all the physical tools to be successful and to take over as the signal caller of the Lions when and if the team moves on from Goff.
Pete is a Western Washington University (Go Vikings! Undefeated at Football since 2009!) History grad with a doctorate in dynasty football, from a certificate he bought online. He prefers stats and analytics but realizes film grinding is an important part of the process. Dabbles in "Mild Takes" and believes in the process.
The NFL Draft is behind us, rookie drafts are taking place, and as dynasty managers, we are looking ahead to the upcoming season. In our Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update series, we break down all the incoming fantasy-relevant rookies, looking at their profiles and where they fit. The basis of the rookie profile involves the usage of STORM analysis, focusing on five key components: Situation, Talent, Opportunity, Risk, and Market.
SITUATION
Name: Hendon Hooker
Position: Quarterback
Pro Team: Detroit Lions
College Team: Tennessee
Draft Status: Round three, 68th overall
Hendon Hooker is a fifth-year QB prospect who started his collegiate career at Virginia Tech and then transferred to join the Tennessee Volunteers. Hooker was a highly regarded four-star dual-threat QB coming out of high school in North Carolina. As an older QB prospect, is he more of a value or a fade at this point?
TALENT
Hendon Hooker Combine Results:
Height: 6′ 3″
Weight: 217 lbs
Arm: 33“
Hand: 10 ½”
40-Yard Dash: Did not participate
10-Yard Split: Did not participate
20-Yard Shuttle: Did not participate
Vertical Jump: Did not participate
Broad Jump: Did not participate
The discussion with Hooker begins with his age and the unfortunate knee injury he suffered against South Carolina on November 19th, 2022. It is promising that in April, Hooker said he should be cleared for activity by the start of September. There is no need for Detroit to rush him back, though, with Jared Goff holding down the QB position for now.
Hooker showed some solid athletic ability on film, and his last “official measurements were from the High School combine he attended. There were reports of Hooker running a 4.67 40 Yard Dash in 2021. He isn’t Anthony Richardson or Lamar Jackson, but he shows enough ability to use his legs to gain yards when needed.
The next thing we will need to find out about Hooker is if he is a system QB. Typically at Tennessee, he was only required to read half the field and was rarely required to go through all of his progressions. He is inconsistent at times with his throws, and he is inaccurate at times when under pressure. Hooker also needs to work on his pocket presence so that he won’t take needless sacks at the pro level.
Hooker has a strong arm that is on display on deeper throws. While not on Russell Wilson’s level, his deep throw accuracy is fantastic, and will play well in a play-action offense. Hooker does a solid job of keeping his eyes downfield and not allowing the rush to impact his delivery. As evidenced by his 58:5 TD to INT ratio, he doesn’t take needless risks and is a good decision-maker with the football.
OPPORTUNITY
Detroit Lions Depth Chart:
Data courtesy of 4for4.com
The knee injury is a concern, but if you draft Hooker with an eye toward 2024, there is some good upside. Goff is currently signed through the 2024 season, but the Lions can easily get out from under his contract after the 2023 season with only $5 million in dead cap space if they are looking to free themselves from his $31 million cap hit in the 2024 season.
Nate Sudfeld is little more than a backup at this point. A year behind Goff while allowing his knee to heal would be very beneficial for Hooker. Detroit thought enough of Hooker coming off his knee injury to draft him early in round three. Fantasy fans should be excited about the situation currently in front of Hooker on the Lions.
RISK
Data courtesy of Sports Reference.
The knee injury and a possible lost season in 2023 should concern fantasy fans. There was a narrative coming out of Virginia Tech that Hooker couldn’t handle the cold, which led to his transfer to Tennessee. Hooker himself says the decision was made based on the coaching staff at Tennessee.
Data courtesy of Sports Reference
Hooker is a smart QB who doesn’t turn the ball over often when you look at his 80:12 TD to INT throughout his career. He does not turn the ball over often and is consistently looking to make the smart play.
MARKET
Courtesy of May DLF SF Rookie ADP.
Hooker is currently being drafted as the QB5 and 21st pick overall in May Rookie SuperFlex mock drafts over at DLF. That is a decent amount of draft capital for an unknown commodity at this point. That type of draft capital will carry risk, obviously, if Hooker sits in 2023. However, there was talk that Hooker might have played his way into the first round of the NFL draft before the injury that cut short his final season.
Looking at MFL rookie draft data at DLF for one QB league, Hooker is being drafted as the 30th overall pick and the QB5.
Courtesy of DLF’s Trade Analyzer.
The Trade Analyzer sees sneaky value in Hooker at the moment in SuperFlex drafts. In SuperFlex drafts, he is being drafted towards the end of the second round in rookie drafts. There are some intriguing names in the “Suggested Players” list.
Hooker is a good prospect with the potential to be a starting QB in the NFL. He has all the physical tools to be successful and to take over as the signal caller of the Lions when and if the team moves on from Goff.
Pete is a Western Washington University (Go Vikings! Undefeated at Football since 2009!) History grad with a doctorate in dynasty football, from a certificate he bought online. He prefers stats and analytics but realizes film grinding is an important part of the process. Dabbles in "Mild Takes" and believes in the process.
