NFL Draft 2023 Rumors: Hendon Hooker to Visit Lions amid Vikings Mock Draft Buzz

The Detroit Lions are reportedly doing some due diligence on the quarterback position ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Lions are hosting Tennessee's Hendon Hooker for a visit Tuesday. Detroit has the Nos. 6 and 18 picks in the first round April 27 and may also have the chance to thwart the division-rival Minnesota Vikings considering ESPN's Todd McShay projected the latter to pick Hooker at 23rd overall in his latest mock draft.

The draft figures to largely revolve around the quarterbacks, with Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Alabama's Bryce Young, Florida's Anthony Richardson and Kentucky's Will Levis all potential first-round picks.

Hooker isn't a surefire first-rounder. But the buzz is growing, and he is at least on the radar of a team with two early picks in Detroit.

The Tennessee product looked the part of a first-rounder for much of the 2022 season as he played his team into College Football Playoff position as a Heisman Trophy candidate. However, he tore his ACL during a November loss to South Carolina and saw the Heisman and CFP chances evaporate.

He still impressed from a statistical standpoint and finished the year by completing 69.6 percent of his passes for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 430 yards and five scores on the ground.

Hooker also threw for five touchdowns in a win over Alabama in one of the most memorable performances of the entire college football season.

Detroit would be a solid landing place, as it would allow him to sit behind Jared Goff as he recovers from the torn ACL and adjusts to the NFL level. Goff has two years remaining on his contract, so there may be a chance in the relatively near future for Hooker to play his way into the starting role as well.

While Goff is a solid quarterback who helped lead the Lions into playoff contention last season, he also isn't the type of superstar who is locked into the starting role for the next decade.

That could open the door for the team to explore drafting someone like Hooker.