Commanders to host pre-draft visit with Hendon Hooker: Could the QB be an option at 16?

At the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix, Ron Rivera didn’t rule out that the Washington Commanders could draft a quarterback with the 16th overall pick. And the coach told reporters that adding a third passer is a “priority” before the start of next season.

That makes Hendon Hooker an interesting prospect for Washington in this year’s draft.

The Washington Commanders plan to host the former Tennessee quarterback for a pre-draft visit, a source with knowledge of the situation said. NFL teams are only allowed to host up to 30 prospects per draft cycle, meaning Hooker will fill one of those spots. 

Sports Illustrated reported that Hooker is the only quarterback prospect the Commanders will formally host and that his visit won’t come until the last week that Top 30 visits are allowed. Teams have until April 19 to host prospects, with the NFL draft taking place April 27 through April 29. 

Hooker was a standout in college for the Volunteers as he started two seasons for Tennessee after transferring from Virginia Tech. But the 25-year-old is also coming off a serious knee injury after tearing his ACL last November. 

The injury and age — he’s older than Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert — have complicated Hooker’s draft stock. ESPN’s Todd McShay and the NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah project the 6-foot-3 quarterback to go in the first round, while The Athletic listed Hooker as the 65th-best prospect in this year’s draft and Pro Football Focus gave him a third-round grade. 

At Tennessee, Hooker impressed with a strong touchdown-to-interception ratio. In two seasons, he threw 58 touchdowns with just five interceptions across 24 games. Draft analysts praise Hooker for his exceptional accuracy (68.8% for the Volunteers) and enticing physical traits. Some, like NFL.com’s Chad Reuter, have wondered how Hooker will adjust to an NFL-style offense after playing in a college scheme that rarely required him to get “through a slate of progressions.”

Hooker’s stock, though, appears to be rising. ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum even predicted he’d be drafted in the top five — mocking the quarterback to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 5 in his latest mock draft. 

“Without the ACL injury, I don’t think he’s there at five,” the former New York Jets general manager said in a television segment. “His ceiling to me is of a front-line starting NFL quarterback. There are no flaws in his game.”

Hooker has also reportedly met with the New Orleans Saints on a pre-draft visit and is scheduled to interview with the Tennessee Titans. 

If the Commanders draft Hooker, the selection would figure to dramatically change the dynamic of the team’s quarterback room. Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew have said that second-year prospect Sam Howell will get every opportunity to be the starter and will compete with veteran Jacoby Brissett, who was brought in on a one-year, $8 million contract this offseason. 

Then again, it’s unknown if Hooker’s knee injury would prevent him from being ready to play in 2023. 

At the NFL Combine in February, Hooker said his rehab is “going great” and expected to start throwing again soon.

“I plan to be healthy and 100 percent by camp time,” Hooker told reporters. 

Rivera said last week that he personally hasn’t reviewed this year’s crop of quarterbacks But the Commanders have scouts and other executives who have kept an eye on the class.

“We have to look at every avenue and look at every opportunity and if the right guy’s there,” Rivera said when asked about taking a quarterback in the first round. “We want to be able to make the decision on the best player for us. … It’s kind of twofold because the best player for us could be a different position, but the best player available may be (a quarterback). So, we’ll see.”