CINCINNATI, Ohio - NFL Draft season is fully upon us.
The month of April is all about preparing for one of the biggest weekends of the year in the NFL offseason. This year’s draft is at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, April 27-29.
Unlike last year’s draft, quarterbacks will likely dominate the top 10 picks. From there, expect to see a lot of tight ends, running backs and cornerbacks off the board until Mr. Irrelevant is called at the end of the draft.
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A QB for the Titans?
Although the Carolina Panthers are almost guaranteed to select a quarterback with the newly acquired No. 1 overall pick, there’s no guarantee as to who they will pick. Bryce Young, C.J Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis headline the draft’s top passers as each of them will look to get taken off the board early.
Although the Tennessee Titans are just outside of the top 10 with the No. 11 overall pick in the draft, they still might look to make a move under center.
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported that Richardson, a former standout at Florida, is set to meet with the Titans in April, along with the Panthers, Colts, Raiders and Falcons. Richardson’s college pro day is set for this Thursday on Florida’s campus in Gainesville.
Stroud also privately met the Titans before his pro day at Ohio State, per Sports Illustrated, making them one of four teams to do so. This indicates the Titans aren’t fully sold on either Ryan Tannehill or Malik Willis and are willing to reset the quarterback position in 2023.
Is Hendon Hooker on the rise?
There might be a dark horse rising amongst this year’s quarterback class.
Former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker might be up there in the ranks with Stroud, Young, Richardson and Levis. ESPN contributor and former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum has Hooker going No. 5 overall to the Seattle Seahawks.
Surprised to hear that? Tannenbaum understands, adding that his selection “might raise some eyebrows,” but he explains why Hooker should be taken just as seriously as the other aforementioned quarterbacks.
“I see a potential franchise quarterback and someone who can lead an offense. Go watch his performance against Alabama if you disagree,” Tannenbaum wrote in his mock draft about Hooker.
The concerns for Hooker come from his ACL tear he suffered in his left knee at the end of his final season with the Volunteers in 2022. He didn’t participate in the NFL Scouting Combine drills earlier this month as a result, but NFL Network reports he did receive positive information regarding his injury while in Indianapolis. Maybe that will get teams to take him more seriously, including the one 180 miles west of Rocky Top.
Mohammad Ahmad covers the Bengals for cleveland.com. You can follow him on Twitter @MohammadAhmadTV and read all his coverage at StrictlyStripes.com.
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