Detroit Lions select Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker in third round of NFL Draft
(CBS DETROIT) - Hendon Hooker is coming to the Motor City.
The Detroit Lions selected the Tennessee quarterback in the third round of the NFL Draft Friday night. This comes after the team selected Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta and Alabama defensive back Brian Branch in the second round.
Prior to picking Hooker, the Lions traded its 55th overall pick to the 63rd spot. However, the team traded again to No. 68.
.@amonra_stbrown introducing the newest Lion!
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) April 29, 2023
📺: #NFLDraft 4/28 & 4/29 on NFLN, ABC & ESPN pic.twitter.com/PwaAQuy5b6
At 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 217 pounds, Hooker initially signed with Virginia Tech, playing six games as a reserve his freshman year. In 2019, he set a record of 124 completions without an interception and started in seven of eight games in 2020 before he took his talents to Tennessee.
During the 2021 season with Tennessee football, he ranked third in the Football Bowl Subdivision for pass efficiency and fourth with 9.72 yards per attempt. He also threw 140 completions without an interception, and in 2022, he was an early Heisman Trophy favorite.
He won SEC Offensive Player of the Year and was named a third-team Associated Press All-American.
Hendon is headed to the Motor City!!@Lions 🤝 @henhook2
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) April 29, 2023
Round 3 | Pick 68#NFLDraft | #OnePride pic.twitter.com/gBrBex6AWi