NFL teams in line to see ‘a better version of Hendon Hooker’

MOBILE, Ala. – Former Tennessee star quarterback Hendon Hooker is on track to be healthy in time for his inaugural NFL training camp this summer, he told ESPN on Tuesday.

At the Senior Bowl, Hooker flashed the familiar halogen grin that has accompanied his rise to stardom in Tennessee over the past two seasons. He told ESPN he started exercising after Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache had repaired the torn ACL in his left knee on December 13.

“It’s going to be a better version of Hendon Hooker, the best we’ve seen so far,” he said when asked how he’ll look when he returns.

Hooker won’t be attending Saturday’s Senior Bowl game, but he accepted an invitation here to meet with NFL teams and further learn about NFL offenses. He’s perhaps the most intriguing player here this week, as his dominant play for the Vols this season has made him a top contender for the Heisman Trophy and a potential high-round draft pick. That searing streak to fame ended abruptly with a cruciate ligament tear on November 20 against South Carolina.

“There were a lot of emotions, I missed the game and missed being with my teammates,” he said. “There was a lot of jokes and laughter and also going back and looking at tapes and ripping up.”

Hooker threw for 58 touchdowns and five interceptions in Tennessee’s last two seasons and led the Vols at No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, their highest since 2001. Hooker said he’s met with nearly 20 teams, joking that there are many to count. He said he’s had a few “duplicate meetings” with teams, but declined to give the teams’ names. He let them know he will be ready for camp this summer and plans to be ready for full contact by the start of preseason.

Hooker won’t be running at Tennessee’s Pro Day on March 30, but he plans to warm up and “walk out” to show how well he moves.

“I feel great,” Hooker said. “I’m moving around. I look forward to getting back to my normal self. My cerebral side has taken to a whole other level. I continue to develop that and my leadership and communication skills. I’ll have that chip on my shoulder when I get back.”

Hooker has been training and rehabilitating in California. He said there was an adjustment process after the surgery because of the injury, during which he learned to walk on crutches, shower and sleep sitting up.

He made it a point to thank his sister Nile for moving to California with him and helping him make his comeback. His quarterback training on the field was conducted by Steve Calhoun and Jordan Palmer, as he said that throwing from a seated position allows him to both experiment with different arm angles and simulate deep balls. He trains with college quarterbacks Max Duggan (TCU), Clayton Tune (Houston), Will Levis (Kentucky) and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA).

“I’m doing really well, putting 100 percent weight on it,” Hooker said. “I can do exercises without my brace. I’ll throw some when I sit down. Nothing too crazy about my knee where I twist and twist, just slowly and with all precautions.”

Hooker said that while he was in California in December, he would wake up at 4 a.m. for the Vols’ 7 a.m. Zoom meetings at the Orange Bowl. He said he wanted to understand the game plan to help Tennessee backup Joe Milton and “be transparent” when they spoke about the game.

When teams asked Hooker what kind of player they were getting, this is how he responded: “I want to be smart and learn and get in and be extremely competitive. A dynamic guy hungry to improve himself on the field. A dynamic type in the pocket and a good deep ball launcher and a precise launcher. And an athletic player. A competitor.