Tennessee football: 10 players Vols can least afford to lose for 2022
r-Senior (GR). 1. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Quarterback. Hendon Hooker. 839
6’4″ 218 pounds
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It may be cliche, but losing your quarterback is usually the worst injury you can suffer. In Tennessee football’s case, when you have a dark-horse Heisman Trophy candidate who will likely break tons of school records this year, it’s even more crucial that he stays health.
Conventional wisdom would say that Josh Heupel’s system makes stars out of any quarterback, but that’s not true. Some are clearly better and more efficient than others, and Hendon Hooker clearly fits the efficiency label. Add in his mobility, and he was probably the best performer at quarterback Heupel ever had, and that’s saying something.
Sure, Joe Milton III has starting experience and also has potential that’s through the roof if his accuracy improved. However, there’s still a clear drop-off from Hooker to him, and we don’t know what to make of Tayven Jackson or Navy Shuler just yet. There’s a huge gap between Hooker and everybody else at quarterback right now.
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Since Tennessee football has such an elite quarterback and builds its offense around the quarterback making big plays, Hooker will naturally top this list. Him becoming the starter last year changed everything, and by deciding to come back for his second senior season, he is starting down a potential All-American campaign this year.