Hendon Hooker finally came off the board, but he had to wait until the top of Round 3. The Detroit Lions traded up to pick No. 68 in the 2023 NFL Draft to give themselves another long-term option under center, landing a quarterback prospect who was projected to be selected 40-50 picks earlier.
Why Hendon Hooker Made Sense for the Detroit Lions
The Lions were thought to be a contender to draft a quarterback as early as the sixth overall pick. But once Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson went first, second, and fourth, respectively, Detroit traded down before eventually landing running back Jahmyr Gibbs and linebacker Jack Campbell in the first round.
MORE: FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
After again passing on quarterbacks with both of their second-round choices, the Lions finally found their answer at the top of the third round. Hooker is far from a perfect prospect — he’s already 25 years old after spending six years in college, and he’s still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November.
However, Hooker recently indicated he expects to be healthy by the start of September. Detroit, which posted outstanding offensive results thanks to a comeback season from Jared Goff, can afford to keep Hooker on the bench for the 2023 campaign. And, depending on how Goff plays during the upcoming season, Hooker may just become an overqualified backup.
Third-round draft capital won’t be enough for Hooker to force his way into the starting lineup, but the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year will give the Lions upside. And by waiting until the third round instead of forcing a quarterback selection on Day 1, Detroit was able to augment other parts of its roster before taking a chance on Hooker.
MORE: 2023 NFL Draft Grades
Hooker could become a rare mid-round quarterback success story. Or, he could fall down an NFL depth chart as quickly as 2022 third-rounder Malik Willis did last season. Uncertainty is the name of the game at this point in the draft, but taking a chance on signal-caller with Hooker’s pedigree is well worth the risk for the Lions.