2023 Senior Bowl Scouting Notes: QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

A transfer from Virginia Tech, the growth from Hendon Hooker’s time at Virginia Tech to 2021 has been incredible. In 2022, he’s been an experienced veteran with the composure of a saint, staying calm through ridiculous chaos and making plays routinely for an explosive and consistent Tennessee offense.

HT: 6032
WT: 218
Year: Super Redshirt Senior
High School: Dudley (Greensboro, NC)
Rating: 4 star (0.8903)

Hendon Hooker scouting notes

Pros:

Good arm strength for the NFL level. Excellent velocity. Can push the ball to the perimeters.
Throws well with touch. Very nice football. Beautiful deep arch ball.
His release is good and fast.
Hooker flashes some incredible placement.
Pocket positioning is suspect, but Hooker does a better job adjusting and maneuvering to the defense.
Very quick feet. Excellent active feet in the pocket.
Excellent maneuverability outside of the pocket. Throws well outside of the pocket, both in bootleg motion and when he is forced outside. The defense has to account for his ability to run or throw.
Incredible athlete with some real downfield ability. Explosive and twitchy. Has a variety of moves to make defenders miss. Has some speed too. Shows great field vision as a runner. Strong contact balance.
Incredible improv quarterback. Mostly makes things happen with his legs.
Really works through progressions well. Smart, heady player.

Cons:

Accuracy is very spotty. Box accuracy. Really worked on getting his accuracy to be more consistent this offseason in preparation for 2021. Showed some improvement. Still tends to throw a bit too high. Struggles tremendously on the deep ball and being consistent with it. Still struggling with overthrowing receivers.
Struggles to consistently place the throw. Still working through some of his lower body mechanics. Struggles with consistency on the deep ball placement.
Ball security is an issue. I don’t think he moves well in the pocket, but he flashes some ability.
Raw feet that aren’t consistent. Will get flat-footed in the pocket. Stands still. Struggles to plant when rushing through his mechanics; they aren’t natural yet.