ESPN mock draft has Seahawks taking quarterback Hendon Hooker

Alright! We’re getting into multi-round mock drafts now!

ESPN’s Matt Miller has unveiled a two-round mock draft following the completion of the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl, and from the Seattle Seahawks standpoint there aren’t too many surprises compared to other mock drafts. He has Seattle going with Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson at 5th overall, then Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 20th, and Clemson DL Bryan Bresee with the 37th overall pick. We have covered Bresee and Wilson already, and you can read those articles below.

Now we get to the fun part! At pick 52, Miller projects the Seahawks to take a quarterback from the SEC. Obviously it can’t be Bryce Young or Will Levis, so is Anthony Richardson dropping in draft stock? Nope, can’t be him. That can only leave you with Tennessee star Hendon Hooker.

Here’s Miller’s breakdown:

Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

Seattle makes a move toward the future at quarterback, landing Hooker, who is arguably the best deep-ball thrower in the draft. He is an older prospect (25) and is coming off a November ACL injury, but over the past two seasons at Tennessee, he has thrown 58 touchdown passes to just five interceptions while constantly challenging defenses down the field. Hooker is no sure thing, but he’s a great investment at pick No. 52 to learn behind Geno Smith (assuming Seattle re-signs its starter) while getting healthy.

A 25-year-old rookie? He’s gotta be on the Seahawks’ radar (I kid, I kid). After transferring from Virginia Tech, Hooker had a very high TD/INT ratio and has proven himself to be a dual-threat QB. However, he did run a spread offense down in Knoxville and not a lot of that system translates well in the NFL.

I thought this little blurb from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler back in October was interesting:

Dane Brugler: It’s not a perfect comparison, but you can see some Geno Smith in Hooker’s game. He has a smooth stroke as a passer. He’s an instinctive athlete who’s accurate in the midfield game and can toss the ball in the bucket on downfield throws. Regardless of score or situation, he stays under control and executes.

A sixth-year senior, Hooker will be 25 years old when he is drafted. He is two months older than Justin Herbert! However, age at quarterback for non-first-rounders isn’t a big deal for most teams. Over the summer, the initial feedback from NFL scouts was the fourth- to sixth-round range, but Hooker definitely has a chance to be drafted on Day 2.

Hooker’s draft stock kept rising during the season before his ACL tear. It’s February and the NFL Combine hasn’t happened yet (and it’s not like Hooker will be competing in drills, anyway), so I wouldn’t be surprised if Round 2 is a little too high for Hooker and he does settle back down to a mid-round pick.

Would the Seahawks take interest? At 6’4” and 222 lbs with quality arm strength, he fits the physical profile of an NFL quarterback, but coming off a serious injury at 25 years old I don’t believe Seattle will take him. Or at least not in Round 2.