The Volunteers QB met with Bucs at the Combine

The Tampa Bay Bucs will have a new starting quarterback this upcoming season, and taking one in the draft is certainly a scenario that could happen. The Bucs are doing their homework on potential options as they have met with former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker while at the NFL Combine.

Hooker is a quarterback that many Bucs fans want the team to consider taking in this upcoming draft and it makes sense why. Hooker was a star for Tennessee, throwing for 7,656 yards, 68 TDs, and only 11 interceptions during his two seasons there. Hooker has also showcased great leadership and poise, not just in the locker room, but in his press conferences while at the Combine.

Hooker has all the tools that one would look for when evaluating a potential starting quarterback and he should be drafted highly after impressing throughout the pre-draft process. However, one of the major concerns revolving around Hooker is his recent injury history, as he suffered a torn ACL during the 2022 season late in the year. Hooker did say in his press conference that he will be able to throw more in a few weeks and that he will be ready for most of the offseason workouts.

However, coming back from an ACL injury can be one of the toughest jobs, especially for a position as important as a quarterback so this very well could scare teams away from drafting him early if there is not a clear timeline regarding his recovery. In my opinion, however, I believe Hooker is worth the risk and should be considered by the Bucs because if he is able to become healthy again – which many he will – I believe he has all the makings of a potential franchise quarterback at the NFL level that is certainly worth the risk.