Inside the Article:
The Detroit Lions made headlines in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft by selecting QB Hendon Hooker out of Tennessee. Despite suffering a torn ACL in November, Hooker had two excellent seasons with the Volunteers, completing 68.8% of his passes with 58 touchdowns and only five interceptions in 24 games. Lions general manager Brad Holmes explained that Hooker’s urgency, tempo, and nature of play were key factors in the team’s decision to draft him. Holmes also noted Hooker’s attention to detail and good character as additional factors that made him an attractive option for Detroit.
Key Points
- Lions selected Hooker as their backup quarterback in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
- Hooker had impressive statistics and great character according to Holmes.
- Holmes prioritized upgrading the backup quarterback position after struggling with it in the previous season.
Brad Holmes explains why he had to have QB Hendon Hooker
Here is what Holmes had to say about his reasoning for selecting Hooker in Round 3:
“You guys have all heard, ‘Oh, spread offense, fast, they go high-tempo, all that stuff,'” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said. “The way he was running it, there were things that I saw in that live game that you can’t see on tape. It was his urgency and his tempo throughout the game. He was playing very, very urgent. He was playing violent in the run game. He was playing violent in that passing game.
“I just kind of like the nature of the way he was playing,” Holmes continued. “And there were little things that kind of stood out to me in terms of, you know, he’d score a touchdown, and instead of him being on the bench with the headset on, or talking to the coach in the box, he’s standing on the sideline waiting to congratulate his extra-point team. So, it’s little things like that, that show what kind of person he is. Regardless of background and all that, he’s just a good football player and if he wasn’t, then we wouldn’t have acquired him.”
Bottom Line: Lions hope Hooker will be a key piece to the puzzle
The Lions’ decision to draft Hooker as their backup quarterback for Jared Goff was a calculated move by Brad Holmes. Holmes has cited Hooker’s impressive statistics, good character, and attention to detail as reasons why he was the right choice for the Lions. With the addition of Hooker, the Lions hope to have a reliable backup quarterback (once he is 100% healthy) who can provide stability and consistency on the field in case of injury or poor performance from Goff. In my opinion, this is a very good pick for the Lions.
