Blinkscout ... a case for Hendon Hooker.

Coming into this draft season, we are faced with an aging Matt Stafford, a financially bloated cap, and a need for a backup QB.

The problem we would normally have ... "Drafting a backup usually means inferior talent, and with McVay that's unlikely to solve the "aging Matt Stafford" problem." ... leaving us with a need to trade into the top 3 in the next few years.

But this year, there is a serious anomaly. Hendon Hooker is that anomaly.

A little background ... I started following him at V Tech 5 years ago (was it 6?). He was an okay thrower, could run, but the game was too big for him ... and he gets an ACL at some point and I lose track of him.
Then find he's on Josh Huepel''s Tennessee club and expect to see someone struggling. He's not. So I pledge to watch him this year (next year's candidates are Michael Penix, Garrett Schrader, and Austin Reed) ... and I find that even without his top target (Tillman) he is capable of quick processing, toughness, accuracy (especially deep), and can still run like he's never been injured (legit 4.4)

8 games into the season he beats Alabama in what might have been the most thrilling game of the year. Around this time, he's playing Heisman frontrunner football.

They hit a snag on Georgia, but his tape, IMO, is top 10 and in the conversation for best in class. By this time, the draftniks are putting him as the 4th QB and mid round 1, trending upward.
Then he finds himself in a dogfight against an SC team that is putting things together, and again he leaves it all on the field ... but this time that meant another ACL ... after that injury SC pulled away.

So what's up now?

First, he's on schedule to be healthy for game 1 of next year. So he's an immediate backup. I also believe he'll be 24 or 25. That scares some clubs, not me. QBs can play into their late 30s and he's got proven maturity.

So, in my opinion, teams in bridge QB mode would be looking at him early. But that's not what's happening. He's being mentioned as low as end of round 3. I don't get it. If I'm 3-4 teams I can think of (Tampa, Minnesota, Tennessee, Washington) I'm drafting him the first round. I have his likely pro career 3rd in this class behind Stroud and Young ... and not by far.

So what am I proposing as a possibility? Let's take care of the big next problem now.

Trading up into the top 2-3 picks to get the obvious guy next year is going to be hard to swing even if we trade Donald and give up 4 -5 1sts. Sitting at 36 (Or moving up to 31 to snag him for 5 years) and taking him solves that problem now.

We are in a rare spot where we need a backup of high quality ... and a possible future QB ... and one has dropped due to an injury that will likely make him a backup only next year... which is all we need. And we may not need him to take over in 24' either. Again, highest quality backup.
Then we get into Aaron Rodgers/Love mode (and Hooker is a MUCH better prospect than Love was). If Stafford is healthy and wants to keep playing? Then we have a great problem to deal with.
The likelihood of that? I don't think it's high. 15%? 20%?

Trading Ramsey gave us an extra 3 ... and IMO that makes this possible.

What we'd need ...
We'd need to sign one competent edge rusher and one OG. Then we could draft a quality edge and CB in the 3rd and another CB and edge later. There are, of course, another few combinations of moves that could put us in place to only need 2 top 100 picks ... but I'm doing the least amount of moves.

This means we don't get a TE early, I'm fine with that. This means we don't get O line early, as long as we plug the holes and draft O line a couple times in the late rounds, I'm fine. We don't get a WR, but if ARob and Jefferson stay put I'm fine with that.

And? It gives us first round picks to grab difference makers at OT, WR, etc next year via draft or trade.

What we don't have to do? We don't have to trade into the top 3 and we can keep first round picks to draft or use in trades. Oh, and use 50 million on the QB position in 25 and 26.

What makes this a no go? Bad medical, which I can't know.
What makes this a definite go? His lasting till the third round.


Anyhow ... figured I'd procrastinate on my actual work by writing this. More of an entertainment piece than suggestion, but I figure if I'm thinking of it, the brass is, too.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2023 01:18PM by alyoshamucci.