Commanders reportedly eyed Hendon Hooker on Day 2 of draft

The Detroit Lions drafted former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker with the 68th overall pick in the third round of this year’s NFL Draft. However, one team had their sights set on Hooker.

According to John Keim of ESPN, the Washington Commanders were prepared to select Hooker later in the third with the 97th overall pick. The pick was a compensatory pick awarded to the Commanders after losing offensive guard Brandon Scherff via free agency during the 2022 offseason.

One team source said the only quarterback who would have tempted them was former Tennessee star Hendon Hooker — but only if he was there when they selected him in the third round.

Washington maintains Sam Howell will enter training camps as the starting quarterback. The Commanders selected Howell in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent most of the season third on the depth chart last year before making his NFL debut in a Week 18 start against the Dallas Cowboys.

The team also signed veteran Jacoby Brissett to compete and mentor Howell. Thus, drafting a quarterback was not a priority for the Commanders. Washington did host Hooker as one of their top 30 visits.

Hendon Hooker is coming off a torn ACL he suffered late into his breakthrough season last year at Tennessee. The injury played a factor in him waiting through 67 picks to hear his name called last weekend.

Now that draft is over, rumors surfacing like the Commanders being interested in Hooker are not rare. In fact, Hooker is not the only drafted quarterback linked to Washington.

The Athletic’s Mike Jones reported last week that teams around the league felt the Commanders were interested in trading from the 16th overall pick to seventh in hopes of picking Anthony Richardson. Yet, Richardson got selected fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts.

However, in Keim’s reporting, Hooker was the only QB that had Washington’s interest.