Tag: Hendon Hooker

Draft reaction: Detroit Lions select QB Hendon Hooker No. 68 overall

Draft reaction: Detroit Lions select Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker No. 68 overall

The Detroit Lions make their class even more interesting by pulling the trigger on a potential franchise signal caller with the selection of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker.

A dynamo during his two-year stint with Tennessee, Hooker made the most of the starting opportunity he was given after transferring from Virginia Tech. In those two seasons with the Vols, Hooker was one of the best quarterbacks in the entire country, tossing 58 touchdowns to just five interceptions during that span. Hooker was a Heisman candidate who took full advantage of the Tennessee offense before going down to a torn ACL.

With Detroit, it is hard to envision anyone but Jared Goff as the starting quarterback for the upcoming season, though Goff is anything but a surefire franchise quarterback. If Goff does end up struggling in the later season, Hooker may find himself under center quickly. This was meant as a selection for the future, with Goff’s contract set to expire after the 2024 season, Hooker could be ready to take over around that time.

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Detroit Lions sign veteran OL Germain Ifedi

The Detroit Lions have signed veteran offensive lineman Germain Ifedi

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In the evening hours of the first day of voluntary OTA’s for the Detroit Lions, it was announced that they signed veteran offensive lineman Germain Ifedi. It’s unclear on the structure of his contract but I would assume it’s a veteran minimum deal for one-year.

Oddly enough, this signing comes from the Lions after their first few hours of potentially seeing veteran right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai. I’m unsure if Vaitai participated or showed up for the voluntary OTA’s in Detroit. However, we do know that he’s been dealing with a back injury for most of his tenure with the Lions. The signing of Ifedi could be insurance if Vaitai can’t play.

Throughout much of this off-season, the Lions have made it a point to upgrade their offensive line. This off-season the Lions re-signed Matt Nelson, signed Graham Glasgow and drafted Colby Sorsdal in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. They now add Ifedi, who could be just a camp body or like I said, he could be insurance to Vaitai and his injury woes.

For Ifedi, this is his 4th team in the NFL and he’ll certainly look to play more than the 8 total snaps he played for Atlanta last season. Prior to playing with the Falcons, Ifedi played over 1400 snaps with the Chicago Bears over his two seasons with the team. His second season with the Bears was partially spent on injured reserve due to a sprained knee.

All of this occurred after he spent four seasons as a starter with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks selected him with the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Over the course of his career, Ifedi has played over 3900 snaps (per PFF) at right tackle and over 1500 snaps at right guard. If healthy, he’ll provide Detroit with some guard and tackle flexibility.

NFL rule change could impact what the Lions do at QB on game days

A new NFL rule change could impact what the Lions do at QB on game days

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The NFL owners adopted a new rule regarding game rosters that should pay immediate benefits for the Detroit Lions.

In their latest owner’s meetings, the league passed a rule that allows teams to keep a third quarterback active for a game without counting as a roster pot toward the game limit.

The rule effectively allows teams to dress the third quarterback for a game without having him soak up a roster spot. Using the Lions as an example, it would allow current reserves Hendon Hooker and Nate Sudfeld to remain on the 53-man roster and active for games. However, only one of them would count toward the active gameday roster.

Instead of having to perhaps keep Hooker active as the No. 3 in Week 1 and deactivate another position player who might actually play outside of emergency circumstances, now that choice doesn’t need to be made. Hooker can stay active, and the Lions can also keep an extra defensive back or running back healthy.

It gives the Lions (and other teams) more gameday roster flexibility to handle a rash of injuries at one position group. This can help the Lions deal with Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow being perennially questionable with his toe injury. Detroit can now keep an extra offensive lineman active without the risk of having to play without a quarterback if both Jared Goff and Sudfeld were rendered incapable of playing.

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Here is the NFL’s official rule explanation via NFL.com,

One hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff, each club is required to establish its Active List for the game by notifying the Referee of the players on its Inactive List for that game. Each club may also designate one emergency third quarterback from its 53-player Active/Inactive List (i.e., elevated players are not eligible for designation) who will be eligible to be activated during the game, if the club’s first two quarterbacks on its game day Active List are not able to participate in the game due to injury or disqualification (activation cannot be a result of a head coach’s in-game decision to remove a player from the game due to performance or conduct). If either of the injured quarterbacks is cleared by the medical staff to return to play, the emergency third quarterback must be removed from the game and is not permitted to continue to play quarterback or any other position, but is eligible to return to the game to play quarterback if another emergency third quarterback situation arises.

A club is not eligible to use these procedures if it carries three quarterbacks on its game day Active List [47- or 48-players in 2023].

It’s a smart reversion to what was the standard NFL rule from 1991-2010.

Editor’s note: A portion of this was deleted after the interpretation of the rule was incorrect

Hendon Hooker gets rave reviews from his fellow Lions rookies

Hooker can’t participate as he recovers from knee surgery but it still making his presence felt

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Hendon Hooker can’t actively participate in this weekend’s rookie minicamp. December knee surgery means Hooker is not yet medically cleared.

That doesn’t mean the Lions’ third-round quarterback from Tennessee isn’t doing whatever he can to get ready. Hooker is already winning over his new teammates with his dedication, personality and easy, natural leadership.

Fellow rookie Antoine Green, a seventh-round wide receiver from North Carolina, came away impressed after a couple of practices with Hooker in the huddle.

“He’s just walking around, dapping everybody up,” Green told reporters on Saturday. “I think he’s a great leader. Just watching him, too. I watched him over the course of last season, and I feel like he’s a phenomenal player. I think he’ll do great here.”

One of the linemen who will be charged with protecting Hooker also offered up a sterling review from the first day. Fifth-round OL Colby Sorsdal had this to say about No. 12,

“It’s electric to be around. He’s a great dude, and we were kind of talking during the stretch and whatnot, just about getting used to being an NFL player. We talked about this being a dream come true, and it is. We’re blessed to be out here and it’s just cool to be around him. His energy is contagious.”

It’s good to hear that Hooker is already doing everything he can to get ready for his Lions career, even if he’s unlikely to see the field for meaningful action before 2024 at the earliest.

The Lions sign Hendon Hooker among a flurry of rookie signings

The Lions signed 3 draft picks and 15 UDFAs on Friday just before the start of rookie minicamp

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With the team’s rookie minicamp kicking off this weekend, the Detroit Lions got a lot of the paperwork and procedurals out of the way on Friday. The Lions announced they have signed three of their recent draft picks, as well as a slew of undrafted free agents.

The Lions officially signed quarterback Hendon Hooker, offensive lineman Colby Sorsdal and wide receiver Antoine Green. Hooker was Detroit’s third-round pick, while Sorsdal came in the fifth round and Green in the seventh.

They are the first three draft picks from 2023 to sign with the Lions.

Detroit also revealed the undrafted rookies signed prior to the weekend’s rookie minicamp:

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OL Brad Cecil – South Florida
WR Chase Cota – Oregon
LB Isaac Darkangelo – Illinois
DL Cory Durden – North Carolina State
OL Connor Galvin – Baylor
CB Steven Gilmore – Marshall
RB Mohamed Ibrahim – Minnesota
S Brandon Joseph – Notre Dame
QB Adrian Martinez – Kansas State
DL Zach Morton – Akron
LB Trevor Nowaske – Saginaw Valley State
DL Chris Smith – Notre Dame
OL Ryan Swoboda – Central Florida
CB Starling Thomas V – UAB
WR Keytaon Thompson – Virginia

The Lions planning to give 3rd-round QB Hendon Hooker ‘a redshirt year’

Hooker had surgery to repair a torn ACL in December, and the Lions are in no hurry to rush him onto the field

Figuring out where Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker was heading in the 2023 NFL draft proved an exercise in speculative futility. Hooker’s projections ranged from some top-10 predictions to deep into the third round.

In the end, Hooker was selected by the Detroit Lions early in the third round, No. 68 overall. One big reason for his drop from the lofty guesses is Hooker’s likely unavailability to play as a rookie as he recovers from knee surgery. That wasn’t a problem for Detroit.

In an appearance on longtime NFL defensive end Chris Long’s “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell indicated that the team does not expect Hooker on the field in 2023.

“This really is just a redshirt year for him,” Campbell told Long. “He’s got to get this leg right first; then he’ll learn under Jared (starting QB Goff) and let’s see what happens, you know? If he can eventually become your (backup), or maybe down the road later on it’s more than that. But it’s going to be a long time.”

Hooker had surgery to repair a torn ACL on December 13th after injuring the knee in his final game at Tennessee. While Hooker’s rehab is progressing nicely, it’s clear the Lions are not in any hurry to get him on the field.

Both Campbell and Lions GM Brad Holmes clearly stated before the draft that Jared Goff was the team’s starting quarterback. The redshirt year makes a lot of sense for a team like Detroit that doesn’t need an immediate starter.

Hendon Hooker will get 2023 as ‘a redshirt year’ per Dan Campbell

Campbell also told “Green Light with Chris Long” that the Lions saw Hooker’s advanced age as a real asset

Lions head coach Dan Campbell dropped into longtime NFL defensive end Chris Long’s podcast this week. In his appearance on Long’s “Green Light with Chris Long” show, Detroit’s head man reinforced that the team does not expect third-round rookie QB Hendon Hooker on the field in 2023.

“This really is just a redshirt year for him,” Campbell said. “He’s got to get this leg right first; then he’ll learn under Jared (starting QB Goff) and let’s see what happens, you know? If he can eventually become your (backup), or maybe down the road later on it’s more than that. But it’s going to be a long time.”

Hooker had surgery to repair a torn ACL on December 13th after injuring the knee in his final game at Tennessee. While Hooker’s rehab is progressing nicely, it’s clear the Lions are not in any hurry to get him on the field.

Campbell also didn’t have any issue with Hooker already being 25, which is 2-3 years older than a typical rookie.

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“He’s very mature, he looks the part, he’s got a big arm,” Campbell told Long. “He’s just got to learn to play in the NFL. But he’s a pro, now, and I like the fact that he was older. We all kind of liked the fact that he was older. I think you want your quarterback to be a little bit more mature. They’ve got a lot on their plate.”

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3 Lions draft picks invited to be part of the NFLPA Rookie Premiere

3 Lions draft picks invited to be part of the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event for the most marketable rookie players

The NFLPA has selected the 45 draft picks from the class of 2023 who will take part in the annual Rookie Premiere event. Three Detroit Lions draft picks will be in Los Angeles for the prestigious event.

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12 overall pick), tight end Sam LaPorta (No. 34) and quarterback Hendon Hooker (No. 68) will represent the Lions.

What exactly is the NFLPA Rookie Premiere? This is the description from last year’s press release,

This is one of the most valuable opportunities available to NFLPA partners because it’s the first time to connect directly with professional football’s most promising and marketable young players–all in one place—and build content and relationships that extend into the season and beyond.

The full invite list was sent to NFL clubs in a memo,

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Fantasy football: Veterans most affected by the NFL draft

Exploring how rookies may negatively impact veterans in fantasy football.

While one could stretch out the meaning of which veterans are affected by the 2023 NFL Draft in a multitude of ways, the focus here will be on playing time and/or utilization potential among conventional fantasy football assets.

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Report: Giants’ interest in QB Hendon Hooker was genuine

The New York Giants met extensively with QB Hendon Hooker during the pre-draft process and were genuinely interested in selecting him.

Leading up to the 2023 NFL draft, the New York Giants spent a good amount of time scouting Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. They also met with him extensively and hosted him on a top-30 visit.

The interest was genuine.

If Hooker, who is currently rehabbing from a torn ACL, slid a bit more in Round 3, the Giants and general manager Joe Schoen likely would have drafted him.

Hooker ultimately went to the Detroit Lions at No. 68 overall. The Giants later traded up and took his former Tennessee teammate, Jalin Hyatt, at No. 73 overall.

The interest in Hooker was unrelated to Daniel Jones, who signed a four-year, $160 million deal this offseason. Rather, the Giants would have “redshirted” Hooker in 2023 and focused on developing him over the next several years. And with Tyrod Talor slated to hit the free agent market in 2024, it would have provided New York valuable depth and a potential trade piece down the line.

Of course, if things don’t work out with Jones, Hooker would have also been a nice fallback option.

From Dan Duggan of The Athletic:

If Hooker slid, the Giants could have picked him in the third round with the intention of giving him a “redshirt year” on injured reserve this season. Then they’d have a talented backup on a cheap rookie contract for the next three years, which coincides with Jones’ sky-rocketing cap hits.

But that’s not how the cookie crumbled and the Giants passed on all other available quarterbacks. They did sign some undrafted free agents and invited others to rookie minicamp, but none carry the potential high-ceiling value Hooker does.

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