Lions coaches impressed with how Hendon Hooker throws the ball

If not for a torn left ACL late in his final college season Hendon Hooker might have been a first-round pick in April. He was in the Heisman Trophy conversation, with 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions at the time of his injury. Over two seasons at Tennessee, he had 58 touchdown passes and five interceptions.

But as it was, Hooker fell to the third round and the Detroit Lions took him 68th overall. They have of course taken it slow with him as he works his way back from that knee injury and learns an NFL offense.

The tentative plan with Hooker was to get him on the active roster at some point this season, and this past week his 21-day window to have that happen was started. He will not be activated for Sunday's game, as expected just three days into that window as of the end of the practice week.

Lions coaches laud how Hendon Hooker throws the ball

Reporters on the ground got a glimpse at Hooker throwing the ball on his second day of practice.

Via MLive, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson acknowledged how Hooker was excited for his first practice.

"You could tell he was fired up,” Johnson said. “He threw about a million passes, it seemed like out there. The ball was coming off his hand. He was spinning it.”

On Friday, head coach Dan Campbell also talked about Hooker.

"It’s good to get him out there. I know he’s excited to feel like he’s now part of the team, from his own perspective. That’s hard when you’re limited to, I’m in meetings and that’s about it," "Then I go and rehab, so I know he’s excited to be out there. 
And look, we’re just in the beginning stages of it. But, you can see, just when he throws the ball, why we acquired him. He’s got a poise about him and a really smooth delivery, if you will. Tight spiral. But, he’s just starting, but it’s good to get him out there.” 

Hooker is not going to play this season if things to according to plan. Jared Goff is the starter, and if something happens to him Teddy Bridgewater would step in. But putting him on the 53-man roster opens the door for him to be the No. 3 quarterback on game days, even if it's as the emergency third signal caller.