2023 NFL Mock Draft: Should the Baltimore Ravens Target Hendon Hooker To Replace Lamar Jackson?

There hasn’t been much movement in the Lamar Jackson saga in recent weeks, as the franchise-tagged quarterback has yet to agree to a long-term contract with the Baltimore Ravens. Even if Jackson plays out the 2023 campaign on the franchise tender, the Ravens may need to start planning for a post-Lamar life. Could Baltimore select a quarterback like Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker in the 2023 NFL Draft?

Mock Drafts Are Sending Hendon Hooker to the Baltimore Ravens

According to data from Pro Football Network’s Mock Draft Simulator, users are sending Hendon Hooker to the Ravens more than any other prospect in Round 2. Baltimore doesn’t currently own a second-round pick, having sent that choice to the Chicago Bears for linebacker Roquan Smith. Thus, MDS users are trading back from the Ravens’ selection at No. 22 overall before adding Hooker.

However, if Baltimore wants to bring in a rookie QB, it’s more likely they use their first-rounder, especially if that player is Hooker. Given that Jackson seems likely to stick with the Ravens at least through 2023, Hooker — the 2022 SEC Offensive Player of the Year — would be sitting on the bench for his first NFL campaign.

As such, Baltimore would want as much contractual control over Hooker as possible. By drafting him in Round 1, the Ravens would get the benefit of a fifth-year option on Hooker’s rookie contract. That would enable the club to retain him through the 2027 campaign at moderate rates. If Baltimore waits until the second round to draft a signal-caller, the fifth-year option won’t be on the table.

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Additionally, Hooker tore his ACL in November and is still recovering from the injury. While Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported last month that Hooker is “on track to be ready for the season opener,” it wouldn’t be a bad idea for his new team to give him time to ramp back up. Adding a fifth-year option to his contract would give the Ravens an extra year of runway.

Hooker is an older prospect at age 25, and he’ll be 30 by the time his rookie deal expires. However, while age is an important and deciding factor for many other positions, it may not be as critical for quarterbacks, whose careers are often extended.

The Ravens Are Open To Drafting a First-Round QB

Baltimore has been open about the idea of selecting a quarterback in the first round. Whether that means the club has resigned itself to the idea of losing Jackson to free agency in 2024 is unclear, but the Ravens haven’t said a signal-caller is out of the question.

“It depends on the board, it really does,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said this month. “I mean, I’d have to say yes because we have quarterbacks in our top 31. So just based on that alone, simple math, I would have to say yes.”

Barring a significant trade up the board, Baltimore is unlikely to be in range to select any of the top four quarterbacks — Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richarson, and Will Levis — in Round 1. All four of those passers have average draft positions inside the top 10, according to PFN’s MDS data.

However, DeCosta also hinted that another quarterback — presumably Hooker — could be an attractive option at the bottom of Round 1.

“I would say there’s probably more than four guys that can be significant quarterbacks in this league in this draft class,” DeCosta said.

Can the Ravens Afford To Bypass Other Positions in the Draft?

Planning ahead for a potential Jackson loss is smart business for the Ravens. Baltimore is generally one of the more forward-thinking teams in the NFL. If they don’t think they can re-sign Lamar, or don’t intend to franchise him again in 2024, then adding another quarterback like Hooker makes sense.

Nevertheless, it does appear that Jackson will be with the Ravens next season. No other team has expressed any interest in signing him to an offer sheet. There’s still time for that to happen, but the list of clubs with a need at quarterback is small and dwindling. Most teams have already used the majority of their cap space and wouldn’t have the financial means to sign Jackson.

Additionally, Jackson was reportedly instrumental in recruiting free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to Baltimore. If Jackson was staging a holdout, he likely wouldn’t have helped his team add another offensive playmaker.

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The Ravens are still a legitimate AFC contender. With Jackson healthy after missing five games last season, an improved receiving corps headlined by Beckham and fellow free agent signing Nelson Agholor, and a new offensive coordinator in Todd Monken, Baltimore has a chance to not only make the postseason but do some damage.

With that in mind, it’s possible the Ravens would want to deploy their first-round pick on a position of more immediate need than quarterback. Baltimore could stand to add a cornerback, given that Marcus Peters is still a free agent, while another edge rusher could also be on the docket.

If the Ravens view themselves as Super Bowl contenders, drafting an immediate contributor might seem more important than finding a potential Lamar replacement.