Several Teams Have Hendon Hooker As The Third Best QB In The Draft, NFL Insider Claims

Hendon Hooker is generating some serious interest ahead of the NFL Draft getting underway.

The NFL Draft will open with the first round April 27, and C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young are viewed as the top two quarterbacks.

After those two, there's a second group of possible first rounders that includes Anthony Richardson, Will Levis and Hendon Hooker. Hooker might surprise some people by going ahead of the other two former SEC QBs, according to NFL Network reporter James Palmer.

Momentum appears to be growing for Hendon Hooker ahead of the draft. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

"You want to hear what teams think of Hendon Hooker? There are plenty of teams that have him above the bottom two that you mentioned . There are plenty of teams that have him third on their list, right below those top two in Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud," Palmer said when breaking down Hooker's outlook (via Bleacher Report).

Hendon Hooker is an intriguing prospect.

Hendon Hooker put up some monster numbers during his time with the Tennessee Volunteers. The dual-threat QB threw for 58 touchdowns and just five interceptions over the past two seasons.

Hooker also rushed for 10 touchdowns during the same time. This past season, Hooker looked like a possible Heisman winner right up until he got hurt with an ACL tear.

Will Hendon Hooker go in the first round of the NFL Draft? (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)

Tennessee went 8-0 to open the season, including a monster win over Alabama, and a lot of that can be chalked up to Hooker's play.

The Packers, Saints and Titans have all shown interest and it certainly appears momentum is growing for Hooker to slide into the first round. If Palmer's report is accurate and many teams have him slotted as the third best QB, it's hard to imagine he doesn't go in the first round.

That will be an incredible turnaround story for Hooker. He'll have gone from being a solid but not great QB at Virginia Tech to being a first round pick after spending some time in Knoxville.

Where will Hendon Hooker go in the draft? Momentum is growing for him to go in the first round. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

He's athletic, has a strong arm and has proven he can compete and win. Where will he land? That remains to be seen but I wouldn't recommend betting against him going in the first round at this point.