VFL Hendon Hooker continues to have one of the more talked-about names during the build-up to the 2023 NFL Draft.
After being one of the standout prospects at the Senior Bowl despite not even playing due to the ACL recovery, Hooker also received rave reviews on The Pat McAfee Show during Super Bowl week where he got an opportunity to share parts of his story.
Now, after a report from The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler this week, there’s better insight into which NFL teams have been taking notice of Hooker. And one of those teams is none other than the Dallas Cowboys.
“Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker has met extensively with the Raiders, Panthers, Giants, Saints, and Cowboys during the pre-draft process, per source,” Fowler tweeted out. “The dual-threat talent is expected to be healthy and ready for training camp after suffering a torn ACL in Nov.”
More from RTI: NFL Fans React to Hendon Hooker’s Optimistic Report
While the Cowboys and Giants have fairly cemented quarterback plans moving forward, the other three teams are certainly in the market for one. The Raiders don’t have any quarterback, the Saints have a few backups and a running back/receiver, and the Panthers have Sam Darnold. All in all, not extraordinary situations.
Hooker has been projected to a number of different teams in several mock drafts over the past few weeks or so. A few analysts in particular, though, stand out above the rest. In January, ESPN draft experts Todd McShay, Jordan Reid, and Matt Miller placed Hooker as the No. 5 quarterback in the class. NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks has Hooker as the No. 3 QB in the class, only behind C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young.
Dane Brugler, a draft expert for The Athletic, doesn’t even have Hooker in his Top 100 draft prospects.
Meanwhile, while all of this is going on, CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso recently mock-drafted Hooker to the No. 47 slot with a pick from the Baltimore Ravens in the second round.
It’s hard to say where Hooker will go in the draft. The variables around him – his age, his knee injury, the Tennessee system – combined with the known facts about him – his leadership, the intangibles, his deep throw ability – certainly make Hooker one of the more talked-about and fascinating prospects in the draft.
The 2023 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, Apr. 27 on ESPN, ABC, and the NFL Network.
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— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 8, 2023
