Saints Hosting Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker For Top 30 Visit

According to Ian Rapoport, the New Orleans Saints are hosting Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker for a top 30 visit. 

This is the sixth reported visit for Hooker, who is drawing a lot of interest as an intriguing option outside of the four prospects widely expected to go high in the first round. He’s widely expected to be a Day 2 pick and could sneak into the back of the first round. 

The Saints pick at No. 29 in the first round and do still need a long-term solution at the quarterback position. 

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.

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.