>>>ALL THINGS VIKINGS<<<

In Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft on NFL.com, the former scout has Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker going to the Minnesota Vikings in the first round.

The plugged-in Jeremiah slotting him as a potential first-rounder may be a positive sign for Hooker, who comes with age (25) and injury concerns.

Hooker is still recovering from a torn left ACL suffered in November. He did not play in the Senior Bowl in February or work out at the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this month. When he'll be able to play again is unknown.

When looking at potential fits, 2023 is less important than 2024. Here are four teams that could be good landing spots for Hooker in the 2023 NFL Draft (April 27-29).

Minnesota Vikings: With their first-round pick at No. 23, the Vikings could be in range to grab Hooker, whom Minnesota could "redshirt" for a rookie season behind Kirk Cousins and then have him primed for 2024. Cousins, who turns 35 in August, has only one year left on his contract. Head coach Kevin O'Connell, a former journeyman NFL QB, has a rep as a quarterback whisperer.

Tennessee Titans: The Titans, who lost their last seven games and finished 7-10 last season, could take a similar approach. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is entering the final season of his four-year deal. Malik Willis, a 2022 third-round pick, did nothing to inspire confidence that he's NFL worthy (50.8% completion percentage, zero TD passes) playing in place of the injured Tannehill.


A younger and cheaper starting QB makes sense for the Titans, who have begun gutting their roster. They could either wait until the second round and pick No. 41, trade down from No. 11 in the first round or trade up into the back of the first round to get Hooker.

Las Vegas Raiders: Hooker could also potentially spend a year learning behind Jimmy Garoppolo in Las Vegas. Although Garoppolo signed a three-year deal with the Raiders, his contract is structured so the team has an out after Year 1 with an $18.75 million dead cap hit. With 12 picks in the draft, Las Vegas has ammo for a move up for a second first-round pick.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs, looking for a QB after the Tom Brady era ended, recently signed Baker Mayfield to a one-year contract and have Kyle Trask on the third year of his four-year rookie deal. GM Todd Licht recently said the team would be "very comfortable" with Trask as starter, but he has thrown only nine passes in the NFL -- all in mop-up duty last season.


Tampa Bay will select at No. 19 in the first round and No. 50 in the second round, but they could also be a prime candidate to trade up into the first for Hooker.

Hooker received positive medical news at the combine in early March, so he could be gaining traction in NFL circles, as indicated by Jeremiah.




Be a no-brainer, but that torn ACL thing might scare some people.

 

The ACL injury does not scare me from picking him neither does the age thing never got that hey if you can get the job done well ok then,nervous the Titans might pick him and nobody is expecting him to start anyway the Vikings need a QB bad

 

Where are the big name signings getting a little nervous here what is he waiting on? I quess it going to be though the draft Kwesi-Adofo-Mensah this Vikings fan is just confused by the silence

 

You know what sucks? The FA market for WR's is junk now. OBJ and Hopkins are the only names left. Looking like the Vikings may roll with KJ Osborn as WR2.

Im confused right with you, Badd man and a bit miffed. This team is looking disastrous right now and I have no idea what they will or can do.

Need CB's, WR's, a QB and help on the defensive front and they have minimal draft capitol. My head is about to split!

 

I'm still blown away from Jameson Williams deal that sent him to the Lions this guy fell right in your lap then you trade him to your div rival then you made I think I'm right here you made some goofy ass move that allowed the Packers to get Christian Watson to go to another div rival WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON

 

Question is KOC happy with the way things are going and Brian Flores is he happy?

 

Seems like Brian Flores just wants cb's the Vikings need linebackers and they got to get a wr and DeAndre Hopkins and OBJ like it's there always getting hurt I would have thought getting Justin Jefferson some help would be a priority and they didn't even try to get Jerry Jeudy I don't believe they would have gotten him sh*t at least try

 

Kwesi-Adofo-Mensah pick!! enough of the trading back Rick Spielman was known for doing that it drove me Crazy, don't try to be cute just pick will you when its the Minnesota Vikings turn this trading back hasn't worked

 

Hendon Hooker Already Has a Connection to Vikings

On the outside looking in at the NFL draft’s “Big Four” quarterbacks is Hendon Hooker, the signal-caller from the Tennessee Volunteers.

C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson are all the rage with the draft three weeks away, while the 25-year-old and recovering-from-injury Hooker will likely latch onto a new club after Round 1.

And mock-draft brains have theorized Hooker’s new team as perhaps the Minnesota Vikings, a club committed to the current QB1 Kirk Cousins for just one more season. The Vikings don’t have much draft capital at the moment, arguably need a Cousins successor, and should probably start planning for Cousins’ exit sooner than later.

A lack of draft capital seems to disqualify general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah from splashing into the Top 10 on draft night via trade, although stranger things have happened. If he wants a quarterback — and doesn’t want to spend multiple 1st-Rounders — choosing Hooker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA), or Clayton Tune (Houston) might be the best resort.

Interestingly, the Vikings already have a subtle connection to Hooker — left tackle Christian Darrisaw.

Before Hooker transferred to the Tennessee Volunteers, he played for Virginia Tech, Darrisaw’s alma matter. The two have history. Hooker didn’t play much in 2018 but took off in 2019 and 2020, which were Darrisaw’s final two seasons as a Hokie. The year Darrisaw joined the Vikings, in 2021, Hooker became a Volunteer and rose to stardom, diming 58 touchdown passes to just 5 interceptions in 24 games at the school.

Hooker tore his ACL last November, though, and will be 26 by the time the 2023 regular season caps, dropping the enthusiasm on his draft candidacy to possibly Rounds 2 through 7. If he was 21 and uninjured — so, an alternate universe — Hooker would probably create a “Big Five” in this draft class.

About a week ago, Darrisaw posted this photo of Hooker to his Instagram story with a caption of QB1:



It is unclear if Darrisaw is endorsing Hooker as the Vikings eventual QB1 or merely embracing the Volunteer as some team’s quarterback of the future. He’s evidently high on Hooker, who could become a Viking late in April. Adofo-Mensah has five draft picks — with one in the 3rd Round where Hooker could be reasonably unearthed.

Finally, in addition to the Darrisaw-Hooker connection, Hooker has been mock-drafted to Minnesota all over the place in the last two weeks. The draft-hype machine is doing its thing. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah started the Hooker-Vikings party on March 21st via mock draft. A day later, it was CBS Sports. And The Athletic followed suit last Friday.

If the Vikings draft Hooker and he somehow guides the team to the postseason in 2024, he’d be 27 years old during his first playoff hurrah.

The Vikings haven’t drafted a player from the University of Tennessee in 10 years — Cordarrelle Patterson.

via; VIKINGSTERRITORY

 

Go for it why not you got nothing to lose here Justin Jefferson is coming into his prime and TJ Hockenson also ìt would be a damn shame to waste them time to play Ty Chandler a chance to see if he can cut it and finally give Alexander Mattison the chance he deserves

 

If what I read is correct Capt Kirk next stop could be the New England Patriots seems like a perfect fit, change is the name of the game here in Minnesota....question for you what do think the Vikings will ask and what will the Patriots be willing to give up

 

I havnt heard that one yet, but if he does go there or anywhere, I dont believe he would get a contract like he got in Minnesota... not at his age and with his credentials.

The hottest rumor Ive heard especially from the combine, was Cousins going to the 49ers, but as you know, people like to talk.

 

Saw it on the Google Website VIKINGS TERRITORY it just said that New England could be a dark horse don't if it true or not might have been some damn click bait ìnteresting though

 

Ya, I read them from time to time. Its the season for a bunch of speculation now, but Cousins to NE would be interesting, especially with the on-going riff between Belichick and Jones... Cousins could make them dangerous, till it was playoff time, lol.

 

Hendon Hooker just seems like a natural fit for the Vikings someone that can move in the pocket maybe he is or not I'm just so confused here

 

Im going to let out a bitch/rant right now.

Whats up with the Josh Oliver signing at $21M?

Oliver has been in the NFL for three seasons and never caught more than 14 passes or had more than 149 yards in any campaign, yet he’ll be more per season than Dalton Schultz, Gerald Everett, T.J. Hockenson, Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant.

Tight end wasn’t even a priority for Minnesota when free agency began as the team has four other TEs under contract in 2023 — Hockenson, Ben Ellefson, Johnny Mundt and Nick Muse. That $7M-per-year salary could have been better spent on other positions like linebacker or in the secondary. ~ Quote from; YARDBARKER

I have to agree with this writer (Michael Gallagher), its ludicrous, a frivolous waste of money and on a position that frankly is over-filled.

I'll be honest... Im am in no way shape or form happy with the direction, Kwesi and Flores are going... their approach isnt making sense to me at all. Agreed there are a lot of changes that needed to be made, but this isnt a team that needs blown-up, like its a rebuild, but thats what in essence they are doing. Minimal draft capital, no Cap space and tons of positions that need addressed and they do this. Im afraid the Vikings are headed in the wrong direction. You'd a thought they could have at least retained, Petterson at CB, but no, he's left the building too.

So, here we go, from hero to zero at break-neck speed. Hope they know what the hell their doing, because i dont have a freekin' clue!

 

By the way - Good Morning?!?!

 

Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA), Jaren Hall (BYU) are QB's the Vikings could target in a later round also. Got to get a young arm in there ASAP.

 

There is also a 'swiss army knife' kinda LB out there that might be a good fit since, Kendricks left (still bothers me) Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson. He has played a few different positions in college and has the gifts to be a good one from what ive read.

 

21 million is quite lot for a so so te I have no clue either oh and good morning