Former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker looks to be rolling during Detroit Lions training camp after a report and video have come out in the last week.
Hooker, a prolific two-year quarterback at the University of Tennessee, was drafted by the Lions in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Despite the veteran quarterback falling in the draft rankings due to an ACL tear that was suffered in late November, Hooker’s recovery has gone better than most were originally projecting. In fact, in some ways, Hooker’s injury helped him become one of the fan-favorite stories from the nation regarding the NFL Draft.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press recently reported that Hooker had progressed to throwing routes on air during the Lions’ most recent week of practice. Birkett also reported that Hooker told him that he was “way ahead of schedule” as the offseason continues to roll on.
“All day it was on my mind,” Hooker said via Birkett. “I’m thinking like, ‘I wonder how I’ll throw it today.’ But I felt pretty good. Missed one ball to end it out, but it felt good. I felt I put the ball where I wanted to. As soon as my feet can match my thought process then [it will be even better]. Really, they’re just not moving as fast [as] I want them to.”
Hooker is working hard to get back to the same level of mobility and speed that he played with at Tennessee over the past two seasons. But while Hooker’s progression is coming along at an impressive rate, the Lions are still being cautious with their rookie quarterback. Head coach Dan Campbell recently said that Hooker’s rookie year will essentially be a redshirt year as he recovers from his injury, learns the system, and watches how Jared Goff goes about his business.
“When I get back to feeling like the player that I am, doing the things that I know I can do, then I’ll be ready to rock and roll,” Hooker said via Birkett. “I’m only five months out so the stuff I’m doing is way ahead of schedule.”
A video of Hooker throwing to Trinity Benson appeared on Sunday night from NFL Rookie Watch on Twitter. While it is fairly short, the video shows Hooker throwing an endzone fade to Benson at the Lions’ practice facility.
Hendon Hooker dropping DIMES at Lions OTA’s 🔥
Hooker is reportedly “way ahead of schedule” in his recovery.
Hooker still reportedly plans to be ready to go by the start of training camp.
The return of the Lions rookie QB is coming SOON. pic.twitter.com/SI8jRVYm4u
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) June 12, 2023
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“We did go into this offseason saying that we wanted to bring in some competition at quarterback,” Campbell said on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast. “We didn’t know exactly where that might be, who that would be at the time. But we did like [Hendon] Hooker. We knew he was coming off the injury but there was something about him that was appealing. He is very mature. He looks the part. He’s got a big arm. He’s just got to learn how to play in the NFL. But he is a pro now.”
It doesn’t seem as though the Lions are in a rush to get Hendon Hooker on the field. But it is clear to see that head coach Dan Campbell and the Lions are excited about the player that he could eventually become.
“I liked the fact that he was older,” Campbell continued on to say about the 25-year-old rookie. “We all kind of liked the fact he was older. I think you want your quarterback to be a little more mature – they’ve got a lot on their plate. But to be able to get him where we did, we traded back twice, and we were still able to acquire him. We felt like everything played out just the right way for us.”
