There was a big change atop The Athletic’s Heisman straw poll this week: Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker, off a dazzling performance against Alabama, wrested the top spot away from Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. The Crimson Tide’s quarterback, Bryce Young, climbed into the No. 3 spot behind the Hooker-Stroud duo. He was followed on the latest list by Michigan RB Blake Corum and TCU QB Max Duggan.
Advertisement
That’s all well and good, but what is our team of draft experts learning about these prospects as the season progresses? They discussed Hooker, Young and some stars just off the Heisman radar in our latest roundtable:
1. Hooker picked up an additional 25 first-place votes this week, which launched him into the No. 1 spot. He’s been incredible, no doubt, but we’re looking at him in terms of the NFL Draft. So what’s the ceiling here? Could he be a Day 2 pick? Do you see him as a potential NFL starter?
Nick Baumgardner: I’m pretty fascinated to see it, to be honest. Part of Josh Heupel’s offensive design at Tennessee is to find ways to widen throwing windows for the quarterback, which is partly why every single throw that leaves Hooker’s hands looks like it’s going to a completely open target. So we don’t really know what he can do over the middle of the field in tight windows, because he’s really not asked to put the ball there. It’s a full-team operation at Tennessee right now, though, and Hooker is driving the car beautifully.
You’re not going to find too many quarterbacks in this class who process faster than Hooker does. There’ll be debate about the depth of his processing, but the speed at which he gets the ball out — and to the right receiver, almost every single time — is undeniable. I like him, and I don’t hate the fact that he’s an older prospect. He’s climbing, for sure.
GO DEEPER
NFL Draft film room: Hendon Hooker, Bryce Young and others who impressed in Week 7
Nate Tice: The Tennessee offense can seem like it’s an extended session of pat-and-go from pregame warmups, with super-wide splits, defenders on islands, RPO reads and go balls galore. Hooker has been having a field day in that playground, and he has to be credited for how quickly he is operating and pulling the trigger on his reads. He has improved his timing and is anticipating on throws.
Hooker’s age and the easy production will be the knocks, but he is comfortable from the pocket and has a good internal clock for when to get rid of the ball or go into creation mode. He doesn’t have overwhelming arm strength when he has to drive throws, but he throws a very catchable deep ball with touch. Hooker also is a solid athlete who can get just enough done when he has to run. I think he will end up more like an early Day 3 selection, but he has done nothing but help himself to climb into the late Day 2 conversation.
Advertisement
Diante Lee: I never know what to do with quarterbacks from this tree of offensive play callers, because almost none of what is being asked of them on Saturdays translates directly to the pro game. The wide splits have more value on college hash marks than they would in the NFL (where the game is basically always played in the middle of the field), so the spatial effects that allow Hooker to uncork the kind of bombs we watched against Alabama just won’t exist at the next level. And because this offense doesn’t ask for those tight-window throws in the middle of the field often (if at all), we can really only evaluate Hooker’s raw traits.
I do enjoy watching him use his athletic ability to get himself out of bad pockets and extend plays, and he clearly has enough arm to lay the ball out vertically (even if I have questions about his velocity). I see his ceilings as an early fourth-round pick and a quality backup in the NFL.
Dane Brugler: It’s not a perfect comparison, but you can see some Geno Smith in Hooker’s game. He has a smooth stroke as a passer. He’s an instinctive athlete who’s accurate in the midfield game and can toss the ball in the bucket on downfield throws. Regardless of score or situation, he stays under control and executes.
A sixth-year senior, Hooker will be 25 years old when he is drafted. He is two months older than Justin Herbert! However, age at quarterback for non-first-rounders isn’t a big deal for most teams. Over the summer, the initial feedback from NFL scouts was the fourth- to sixth-round range, but Hooker definitely has a chance to be drafted on Day 2.
GO DEEPER
Midseason college football All-America teams: Picking the biggest stars of 2022 so far
2. Bryce Young is rising, too, having leapfrogged into the top three in our poll. Seven weeks through the college football season, where do you stand in the Young vs. C.J. Stroud (vs. Will Levis) debate?
Brugler: I’ll be updating my top-50 draft board in a few weeks and will expand on my quarterback rankings then. Basically, I’m kicking the can down the road because I want to see Stroud actually challenged this season. There are still several questions with his report that need answers.
Coming into the season, Stroud was my top-ranked quarterback at No. 3 overall, Young was No. 5, and Levis was No. 12. However, each week I am blown away by Young on tape. His instincts are special. Watching him drag the Alabama offense near the finish line Saturday night, in a hostile environment in Knoxville, was remarkable. He is a magician in the pocket and on the move, toying with the pass rush and throwing with accuracy from different angles. He’s also seemingly immune to disappointment. If a receiver drops a pass or a blocker misses an assignment, it doesn’t faze him and he doesn’t dwell on it.
Advertisement
If Young had Levis’ size and arm strength, he would be the slam-dunk No. 1 pick. But his physical traits aren’t on that level, so he needs to do a better job of protecting himself. Levis will play in the same environment at Neyland Stadium a week from Saturday. It will be interesting to see how he fares, but he clearly requires the most development of the three.
Obviously, this quarterback class is a substantial upgrade from a year ago, but there are still major questions with all three prospects. I don’t think any of them will receive a higher grade than the past two quarterbacks who went No. 1 in the draft (Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence).
Baumgardner: Ultimately, I think it ends up being about where you’re at as a franchise and what you want from your offense. Stroud has a huge upcoming stretch that starts this week at Iowa. The Ohio State passer is bigger, throws with outstanding anticipation and is lethal when he’s protected.
Stroud is mobile enough to move the pocket, too, but Young’s ability to improvise without losing his bearings is unlike anything else we’ve seen in this class. It’s the best superpower of any of the QBs in the group, and it’s why he’s my No. 1. Young is never out of a play. He finds his way into the quiet space on the field better than anybody else. He plays behind a great offensive line, with great weapons and all that, but a lot of QBs have come through the Nick Saban factory now, so ask yourself this: How many of them have saved the team at the rate Young has?
Bryce Young made this look way too easy. pic.twitter.com/HHDGaRoxl4
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 15, 2022
Lee: I know the two quarterbacks have been close in everyone’s evaluation for this draft, and Nick is right: Teams will ultimately make their choice based on the stylistic differences between them.
I came into the season feeling the QB1 spot was Stroud’s to lose. His size advantage over Young is evident, but I also felt that Stroud’s anticipation and placement maximized his arm talent and allowed him to access all three levels of the field, laterally or vertically. However, I’d be remiss not to acknowledge what Young has done with the Alabama offense, carrying it on his back with his poise and navigation through awful pockets. Young regularly takes a beating against the best teams on Alabama’s schedule, and it never forces him into the common bad habits of exiting pockets early or forcing the ball into bad throwing windows. That kind of discipline and toughness is invaluable in the NFL, especially for a smaller quarterback who’s likely to start his career with a poor supporting cast and/or offensive line.
I’ve gone from having clear lines between Stroud, Young and Levis to grouping Stroud and Young together as 1 and 1A.
Advertisement
Tice: Young is a straight playmaker, and it’s just an absolute joy to watch him create explosive plays out of nothing. No space is too small for him to throw from. He truly is what makes Alabama’s offense go, rather than serving as a caretaker for more talented teammates. His ability to operate from the pocket is even a bit underrated.
But like a bat signal for scouts and draft pundits, that size question mark will be looming over Young, at least until the combine happens.
Stroud is my top quarterback at the moment. He might not have a ton of overwhelming strengths to his game, but he does a lot of things well. He is so calm and confident in the pocket and consistently goes to the correct read. He is accurate with the ability to make throws at all three levels, and although he doesn’t have a true cannon for an arm, his timing and anticipation maximize the room for error on every pass. He has good size (and seemed to improve his frame this past offseason) and is showing off polished pocket movement with the ability to keep his eyes downfield. And though he runs the ball only as a last resort, Stroud is still a solid athlete.
3. There are some very good players who did not receive any votes: Jahmyr Gibbs actually fell off the list, as did Stetson Bennett. Jordan Addison hasn’t received any love for a bit. Will Anderson is the lone defender represented. Which member of this week’s zero-votes club most intrigues you from a draft perspective?
Tice: TCU’s Quentin Johnston is the name that comes to mind. He has looked unguardable the past couple of games and has simply taken over games, not only catching throws far away from his body but also being extremely dangerous with the ball in his hands. His combination of size and ball-winning ability is a totally different flavor from the other projected top wide receivers in the 2023 class. If Johnston continues to play like he has the past couple of weeks, he should continue to emerge.
Lee: It has to be Gibbs. When Young was down with his shoulder injury, Gibbs had no issue carrying the offensive load. He can produce in volume just as well as he can in explosive bursts. Not only is he as elusive as it gets in college football, but his speed through cuts and his contact balance also make it so that no defenders lay solid contact on him in the open field. As a runner, he’s the engine that keeps this offense on schedule, and he’s also been Alabama’s best receiver this season. He continues to creep up toward the title of best playmaker in this class.
I’ve also enjoyed this version of Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei, although, narrative-wise, he started from such a deficit that I’m not sure how much ground he’d have to make up to break even. There were points when I wasn’t positive he was even draftable, but he’s been quietly improving each week in the pocket and as a runner.
Brugler: Gibbs definitely has to be mentioned. He started at No. 38 overall on my preseason draft board, and he’s only helped himself in his seven games with the Tide.
Advertisement
Two wide receivers who could have garnered consideration: (1) Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, whose speed makes him a dynamic weapon. He is the only FBS player with double-digit receiving touchdowns this season, and Alabama’s secondary had no answers for him Saturday. And (2) Johnston, who has combined for 22 receptions for 386 yards (17.5 average) and two touchdowns in his past two games. His traits and impact are why he is in the WR1 conversation.
Baumgardner: Not sure where Alabama would be right now without Gibbs. He’s been ridiculous. Add in the fact that he served as the centerpiece with Young out and he’s answered damn near every question we’ve had about him, and it’s not even Halloween yet.
A year ago, it was former Saban charge Mel Tucker hitting the transfer portal running back jackpot with Kenneth Walker III. Gibbs is that guy this year. His ability to cut without losing any speed is ridiculous. He’s got a nine-catch game already this season and has absolutely torched three SEC defenses in as many weeks.
(Top photo of Hendon Hooker: Randy Sartin / USA Today)