Mel Kiper Jr, Todd McShay shred Mike Tannenbaum for mocking Hendon Hooker in Top 10
While his 2022 production was on-par with that of the quarterbacks projected to go in the Top 10, ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay were emphatic that former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is a second-round pick. They made their arguments in response to former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum projecting the Seattle Seahawks to take Hooker with the No. 5 overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
While Tannenbaum posited that the need for difference-making quarterbacks would have a team looking to take Hooker so early. Kiper was more than adamant that the need was not so great for a team to take a 25-year-old quarterback coming off a torn ACL in the Top 10 of the draft.
“You’re talking about a guy right now, in Hendon Hooker, that I have a second-round grade on. So this would be a shocking first-round pick. One of the more shocking high first-round picks in my history. That’s 45 years, Mike. So hey, I hope it works out where you’re right on this because we’d all be talking about this for a long time,” Kiper said on a SportsCenter draft special on Tuesday afternoon. “And all eyes would be on Hendon Hooker if he goes this early.”
Continuing to counter Tannenbaum, Kiper began to run through his reasons for ranking Hooker comfortably behind the likes of C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis. The injury and age factor in heavily, as do the advantages that Hooker got to play with in the Tennessee offense.
“Here’s a kid who had an ACL issues in late November. Had surgery in late November for an ACL. 25 years of age, turns 26 in January. Think about that offense, it’s quarterback friendly. He had three receivers — you have Bru McCoy who came from USC. Jalin Hyatt had an unbelievable year taking the top off of the defense with that great speed. He’s going to be a second-round pick. And then Cedric Tillman, consistent player, going to be probably a second-round pick as well. They had a veteran offensive line led by Darnell Wright who really neutralized Will Anderson Jr. in that Tennessee-Alabama game. And a running game to help out,” Kiper said.
Agreeing with Tannenbaum, he added that he likes what Hooker brings to the table with mobility, maturity and physical profile as a big, strong quarterback. But the drawbacks are simply too much.
“I love his wheels, I love his legs, he did it at Virginia Tech. He had nine rushing touchdowns for the Hokies in 2020. Love the completion percentage, love the fact he doesn’t throw picks. But coming off the ACL, the age, the fact that it’s a quarterback-friendly offense, Mike, that’s why I have a second-round grade on Hendon Hooker,” Kiper said.
McShay concurred with Kiper, but did acknowledge that Tannenbaum’s thinking about Seattle being a candidate to draft a quarterback and let them learn behind Geno Smith makes sense, even if that isn’t ultimately Hooker.
“If you were thirsty for clicks, I think you accomplished your goal here. I get it philosophically. You’ve got Geno Smith. You’re hoping to get a few more years out of Geno Smith. This could be, drafting a quarterback at five, and John Schneider, Pete Carroll, the whole contingent from Seattle was at the first three pro days and I’m sure they’ll be at Anthony Richardson’s on Thursday. But, to me, Hendon Hooker is a second-round grade for a reason,” McShay said.
He dove into the reasons, much like Kiper had seconds before.
“He struggled at Virginia Tech — yes he had the rushing touchdowns, I know they didn’t have a great system there, they didn’t have great support around him. But he was told he wasn’t going to be the starter. He goes to Tennessee, has a pretty good year and then this year, just explodes on the scene. But he’s got two receivers, as Mel alluded to, that are going to be second-round draft picks. And he’s got an offensive line that’s very solid in front of him. They have a system that spreads things out, makes reads easier for him. And they also, when you look at it, with pressure, any time there were four rushers that actually got pressure on him, his numbers were really low. Below the average of all the quarterbacks in this class. Versus, when they would blitz him they can’t back off seven, eight defenders and play in coverage. So, there are some flaws in his game. I like him as a second rounder,” McShay said.
He concluded by turning the conversation back to Tannenbaum with a pointed question.
“If you can get him at 20, why are we trying to draft him at five?” McShay asked.
Tannenbaum stuck to his guns, arguing that a quarterback-needy team will draft Hooker before the No. 20 overall pick comes along.