Hendon Hooker Could Solve the Vikings Woes

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker during Tennessee Football Pro Day at the Anderson Training Facility in Knoxville, Tenn. on Thursday, March 30, 2023. © Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK.

The Minnesota Vikings are in the market for a quarterback. Truthfully, every team in the NFL should be looking for their heir apparent. With Kirk Cousins locked into a massive cap number, this seemingly will be his last season in Minnesota. The kid from Tennessee could certainly be worthy of taking over the reins.

Hooker Could Solve
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Coming into the year, Hendon Hooker was among the most exciting quarterbacks in college. He had Heisman hopes and was expected to lead a very good Volunteers team. Having transferred in from Virginia Tech, he certainly didn’t have youth on his side, but he definitely made up for that in maturity. Through his first three years with the Hokies, Hooker got into 21 games. Starting 13 with the Volunteers in 2021, his final year in 2022 was a big one.

Hendon Hooker Could Solve the Vikings Woes

Last season Hooker completed nearly 70% of his passes and posted a ridiculous 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions. He compiled those numbers in only 11 games and would’ve flown by his 31 touchdowns from 2021 had he not found himself injured. That’s where the bugaboo comes in for his draft stock.

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) greets fans during the Vol Walk before a game between the Tennessee Vols and Florida Gators, in Neyland Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. © Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK.

In November, Hooker went down with a torn ACL and was ruled out for the remainder of the season. It sank the Volunteers title hopes, and all but dashed his Heisman chances. Now healthy, though, the timeline could fit perfectly into Minnesota’s plans.

The Vikings aren’t going to be in play for either of the top two quarterbacks. C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young should be off the board by the third pick. Will Levis out of Kentucky is an intriguing arm but may not have the upside of Hooker. Anthony Richardson may be seen as a bit rawer, but the Florida prospect has rocketed up boards after an amazing showing during the NFL combine.

We could see five quarterbacks come off the board in round one this month. For the Vikings, picking in the final third of the first round and having minimal draft capital, not needing to trade up, could benefit them. Hooker may be the guy that slides a bit but would have found himself much better positioned after a healthy season.

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Sure, he is a bit older than you’d like to see from a rookie, but Minnesota should be considering a quarterback for the immediate future. Kirk Cousins can play out the final year of his time in Minnesota, and Hooker can be a worthy understudy. By watching a veteran work, Hooker gets time to learn Kevin O’Connell’s offense while also distancing himself from the ACL injury.

Taking over in 2024, Hooker would have ample time to develop chemistry with star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, and Minnesota would have significantly more salary cap space to build pieces around him. Ultimately, it’s clear that Cousins is seeing his time with the Vikings come to an end, but unless Minnesota has a plan behind him, it’s not going to be a smooth transition.

At the end of the day, it’s a worthy venture for Minnesota to trade up should they feel their guy is a must. Hooker could cost them the least amount in a move, and he may fall in their laps. Either way, a succession plan needs to occur, and the kid from Rocky Top represents as good of a pick as any.

Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.

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