After moving back from 55 to 63 and then again to 68, Lions general manager Brad Holmes decided it was time to address the depth at quarterback behind starter Jared Goff with the selection of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker.
Hooker was an early Heisman Trophy favorite this past season before a torn ACL ended his season prematurely. He did take home SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors after throwing for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns with only two interceptions while rushing for 430 yards and five more touchdowns in 11 starts.
Hooker said in a Zoom call after the selection that his rehab is going really well five months out of surgery, and he's started running on an anti-gravity treadmill.
Hooker, 25, played in 49 career college games with 37 starts in two different offensive systems at Virginia Tech and Tennessee. That experience should allow him to adapt to the NFL game quicker than most signal callers coming into the league from the college ranks.
View photos of quarterback Hendon Hooker.
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) throws to a receiver during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) runs for yardage as he's chased by Akron linebacker Bubba Arslanian (27) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Neyland Stadium is reflected in the face mask of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) before an NCAA college football game against Alabama Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker speaks during a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, March 3, 2023. Threw only five interceptions in 631 attempts at Tennessee, but did fumble 22 times. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker passes against Ball State during an NCAA football game on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) rolls out to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) throws to a receiver during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) runs for yardage during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Alabama Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) plays against Ball State during an NCAA football game on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) passes in the first half of an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) leaves the field after his team defeated Alabama 52-49 in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker speaks during a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 3, 2023. Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson all will make fan bases very happy on April 27, but the steal of the draft could end up being Tennessee's Hendon Hooker. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) carries against LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. (40) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) passes in the first half of an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker warms up for the team's NCAA college football game Ball State on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) escapes from Florida linebacker Shemar James (6) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee won 38-33. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) leaps over the goal line for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) runs for yardage during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) throws to a receiver during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Akron Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker celebrates a touchdown against Ball State during an NCAA football game on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Hooker said outside of his rehab he knows the biggest thing for him will be adjusting to the speed of the game at the NFL level, but he's excited for the challenge.
Goff is the Lions starter in 2023, but Holmes wants to improve the depth behind him. There are reports the team has a contract offer in for veteran Teddy Bridgewater. The team also re-signed Nate Sudfeld, who was Goff's backup in 2022.
"Don't mind at all," Hooker told Detroitlions.com at the Senior Bowl about coming to a place like Detroit and learning behind a veteran like Goff. "I'm going to be able to come in and soak up as much information as I can, not just on the field but off the field as well. Coming in with a vet in front of me would be awesome. Being able to just dive in and learn what he knows. I want to be able to be pushed and compete in a positive environment."
Adding a young quarterback like Hooker, who completed 67 percent of his passes over his college career with 80 touchdowns and 12 picks, promotes some competition for the backup job and puts the Lions in a good position if something happens to Goff and he has to miss time.
Hooker led the nation's top offense (yards and points) with an FBS-best 9.53 yards per pass attempt. He also ranked second in pass efficiency (175.5) and seventh in completion percentage (69.6) in 2022. He set Tennessee records by throwing 261 passes without an interception and recording a touchdown pass in 20 straight games.
