4 legitimate contenders for the Carolina Panthers QB job in 2023
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers should consider Hendon Hooker
There is perhaps no prospect entering the NFL in 2023 that’s done more to boost his stock than Hendon Hooker. The Tennessee standout is riding a crest of a wave this season, emerging as a leading Heisman Trophy candidate and propelling the Volunteers’ into legitimate college football playoff relevancy.
Hooker got a good chance to impress NFL scouts during Saturday’s clash against Alabama. This was the best audition he could have with the football world watching and to say he passed with flying colors would be understating things.
The standard of quarterback play from Hooker and Bryce Young was extraordinary. Something that only raises his stock further heading into the second half of the campaign.
After initially being projected as a mid-round selection, Hooker is now a lock to go in the first round and could even make the top 10 if he continues impressing in a competitive environment.
Much has been made about Hooker’s age, which is older than most potential franchise quarterbacks. However, that shouldn’t make that much difference in the grand scheme of things when one considers how long a signal-caller’s shelf life is in the modern-day NFL.
The Panthers might go in a different direction if they land a top-three pick. But ignoring Hooker completely would be foolish given his meteoric rise to prominence in 2022.