Some favorable comps could be found for Lions rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker, but one that was recently offered is not very enticing.
By all accounts, or the accounts that matter (Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes), Hendon Hooker will spend his rookie season in what amounts to redshirt mode as he learns the Detroit Lions offense and gets his knee healthy after a torn ACL last season.
But there's plenty of potential for Hooker, and comparisons to current NFL signal callers that could be made. Deshaun Watson is one Hooker himself says he's tried to borrow from, and Watson has been put out there as a skill set comp.
Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit recently when straight to an expert source to talk about Hooker, Terry Lambert of SB Nation's Tennessee site "Rocky Top Talk." Based on two years as the Volunteers' quarterback, Lambert thinks Hooker can be an NFL franchise quarterback
"“I really do (think so). I really do,” Lambert said. “The age is one thing, 25 years old. The ACL is another. I don’t know if he’ll be ready to go (this year). He says he’ll be ready to go. I’m not sure, but I think he’s landed in a great spot. To sit behind Goff and be able to learn, take it easy in Year 1, I think his landing spot has helped him a ton this year."
A not-so inspiring comp has been offered for Hendon Hooker
Lambert continued, with a comp for Hooker.
" I saw a comp—I forgot who it was (who made it)—someone dropped a Geno Smith comp, and that makes a lot of sense. When you think about it, that West Virginia offense, how good he was in it, he kinda tumbled down into the second round. He was a high-level backup and now he’s a starter for the Seahawks. So I kinda see a trajectory on that scale. I like that Geno Smith comp a lot."
There's nothing wrong with Lambert's noting of Geno Smith as a comp for Hooker. There are similarities between the two coming out of college, rooted in a college-style offense to create a learning curve at the next level. And it's not wrong, in some sense, to really like the comp a lot.
But it's contradictory to say Hooker can become a franchise quarterback, then land on Smith as the comp to endorse. It's one or the other, not both. Smith is coming off a resurgent career year with the Seahawks last year, but he is not, never has been and never will be a franchise quarterback.
A leg up Hooker has on Smith is landing spot as he enters the NFL. Smith went to the Rex Ryan-led New York Jets in 2013, and he was rushed into starting with former Lions' head coach Marty Mornhinweg as the offensive coordinator. Hooker's injury will allow him to sit and learn as a rookie with no pressure. Even if he wasn't recovering from an injury, he'd likely be sitting behind Jared Goff this year.
Smith as a comp for Hooker is not exciting, and it's downright dismal. Hopefully the Lions' rookie won't be 32 years old and on another team when he breaks through.