Raiders Hosting C.J. Stroud & Hendon Hooker For Top 30 Visits Next Week

April 6, 2023

According to Albert Breer, the Las Vegas Raiders will host Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud and Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker on top 30 visits next week.

This is a part of the team’s thorough look at their options at quarterback in the draft this year, as Breer notes the Raiders are doing visits with the consensus top five prospects.

Stroud is expected to be a top-two pick, so it’s unlikely the Raiders will have a shot at him picking at No. 7 unless he slips a bit and they trade up.

Hooker’s stock is a lot more volatile, as he’s expected to go anywhere from the end of the first round to somewhere on Day 2. The Raiders are the 10th team to have him in for a visit.

Teams can host up to 30 players for interviews and medical evaluations at their own facilities, with players who live or go to college in the local area not counting toward those top 30.

Stroud, 21, was named first-team All-Big 10 after both of his seasons as a starter at Ohio State and was a second-team All-American in 2022.

NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah compared Stroud to Patriots QB Mac Jones in his summer scouting report. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has Stroud rated as his No. 7 overall prospect and No. 2 quarterback.

During his three-year college career, Stroud completed 69.3 percent of his pass attempts for 8,123 yards, 85 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 25 career starts.

Hooker, 25, opted to transfer to Tennessee after spending the first three years of his career at Virginia Tech. He started two seasons for the Volunteers and was in the thick of the Heisman race in 2022 prior to tearing his ACL.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler noted there is some “Geno Smith to his game, which has become a positive considering the way Smith played in 2022.” Brugler has Hooker rated as his No. 65 overall prospect and No. 5 quarterback.

During his college career at Virginia Tech and Tennessee, Hooker completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 8,975 yards, 80 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions over the course of five seasons and 45 games played. He also rushed for 2,079 yards and 25 touchdowns.