Bucs and Raiders Favored to Draft Hendon Hooker in NFL Draft Odds

• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders are the +1000 co-favorites to select Tennessee Volunteers QB Hendon Hooker in the 2023 NFL Draft
• Four other teams are given a betting line of +1200 in the Hooker sweepstakes
• The Tennessee QB was second in the nation with a 175.51 passer efficiency rating

It’s a quarterback-rich 2023 NFL Draft and Hendon Hooker of the Tennessee Volunteers is certainly among those who could hear their name called during the first round.

While Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, Florida’a Anthony Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis are drawing most of the press in pre-draft assessments, it’s easy to forget that Hooker was outplaying all of them until a torn ACL brought a halt to his 2022 NCAA season.

The SEC didn’t forget. Hooker was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year.

But where will Hooker be plying his trade next season? Oddsmakers are liking two NFL teams whose starting quarterbacks departed last season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders. Both are given a betting line of +1000 of selecting Hooker in the NFL Draft odds.

Hendon Hooker NFL Draft Odds

Four other teams – the Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens – are given odds of +1200 of selecting Hooker. Odds as of March 21 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

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Cause for Concern In Hooker Resume

There’s nothing to worry about when it comes to Hooker’s stats. Last season, he threw for 27 touchdowns against just two interceptions. The year before, Hooker passed for 31 scores while being picked off three times. In both seasons, he also ran for five TDs.

However, Hooker’s injury, combined with his age (25) are two strikes against him and reasons why most mock drafts see him not coming off the board until the NFL Draft is into the second round.

By comparison, elite NFL QBs such as Josh Allen (Buffalo), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) and Joe Burrow (Cincinnati) are all 26. Two-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City) is 27.

Raiders, Buccaneers Make Sense

Tom Brady retired. Derek Carr was sent packing. Both the Buccaneers and Raiders are in search of a new starter under center.

The fact of the matte is, if they draft a QB early, both of those teams are likely to fill their QB needs with one of the top four candidates – Stroud, Levi, Young, or Richardson. And if they can’t get one of the big four, they’re more likely to wait.

.@LT_21 thinks Hendon Hooker can sneak into the first round👀 pic.twitter.com/jdu1G0133s

— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) March 6, 2023

All four of those QBs will come off the board early. Then everyone will be on Hooker watch. Depending upon which mock draft you’re checking out, Hooker is going anywhere from late first round, to somewhere in the second, to all the way down in the fourth round on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.

It’s easy to make a case that he’s a fit with several NFL teams. Both Detroit and Kansas City are in the market for backup QBs. The Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers either have a long-term veteran under center, or are in the process of replacing one. And wouldn’t the fanbase of the Tennessee Titans be beside themselves with excitement were their club be the one to draft the QB of the Tennessee Volunteers?

So where might Hooker be going?

Could Hooker Wind Up In New Orleans?

The great thing about making a play on Hooker being drafted by the New Orleans Saints is that it offers tremendous value. At +3500, only two teams on the board are showing longer odds to take Hooker than the Saints.

It was the Saints who signed former Raiders QB Carr. But they could see Hooker as a long-term option. Published reports are indicating that they’ve met extensively with the Tennessee QB.

Hendon Hooker has reportedly been “acing” team interviews and board work, despite not being able to workout.

Several NFL scouts believe Hooker will come off the board “early” into round two of the NFL Draft.

The Volunteers QB expects to be ready for the NFL season opener 👀 pic.twitter.com/8T3DB3RezP

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) March 11, 2023

New Orleans has often shown a fondness for Volunteers players, including star running back Alvin Kamara.

So why not roll the dice and take the price?

Pick: New Orleans Saints (+3500)