Cowboys 'Meet Extensively’ with QB Hendon Hooker; Dak Prescott Backup in NFL Draft?

It wouldn’t hurt the Dallas Cowboys to dip their toes in the rookie quarterback waters in order to prepare for the future at the position without Dak Prescott. So why not take the risk with Hendon Hooker?

In an offseason where the talk surrounding the Dallas Cowboys never stops, the topic of preparing for a future without quarterback Dak Prescott continues to be an interesting one as he enters his age-30 season.

That doesn't mean Dallas is moving away from Dak. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is on-record as saying the Cowboys intend to grab a QB in this year's NFL Draft. And already we know ...

-The Cowboys are "intrigued'' by likely high-first-round QB C.J. Stroud.

-Jones is impressed by mid-to-late-round TCU QB Max Duggan.

-And now ... Hendon Hooker?

It wouldn’t hurt for the Cowboys to dip their toes in the rookie quarterback waters in order to prepare for the future at the position. And according to reports from The Draft Network, the Cowboys have done just that, as they’re reportedly one of five known teams to have “met extensively” with former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hooker.

Other clubs like the Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and New York Giants have all reportedly shown similar interest.

Should the Cowboys choose to purse Hooker in the draft, they’d be suggesting a possible intent to make him the signal-caller of the future after a year or two of learning on the sidelines while only having to potentially burn a second-round pick on him. Of course, he’s still healing from an ACL tear that seems likely to keep him out of any team activity in the summer given that the injury happened in November.

What do the media scouts think of Hooker? 

Bucky Brooks thinks he's the No. 3 QB in draft. Dane Brugler doesn't list him as a top-100 prospect. So ... we're left with wondering about the Dallas view of the potential of Hooker - who at 6-4, 222 pounds certainly fits the Mike McCarthy prototype.

A poised passer who keeps the ball safe and has shown some underrated dual-threat ability, Hooker already played like a seasoned vet during his five years at the collegiate level.

For the Cowboys, this experience could eventually pay dividends for them in the future, especially considering how turnover-happy Prescott was this past season.

Despite missing five games due to injury, Prescott had a league-leading 15 interceptions, more than he had in the two seasons combined. Prescott played only five games in 2020 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, but this number is still concerning.

Meanwhile, Hooker, even in a season where the Heisman hype continued to mount on him, stayed cool and threw just two picks while tossing 27 touchdowns and a career-best 3,135 yards. The season before, he had just three interceptions compared to 31 passing scores.

This wasn’t a one-time thing either. Even before Hooker got to Knoxville, he was keeping the ball safe with the Virginia Tech Hokies, as he tossed just seven combined interceptions across three seasons with the program.

Add that to the fact that he had 25 rushing touchdowns in his collegiate career, and the Cowboys wouldn't be taking too much of a second-round risk on a quarterback that would've been talked about as a first-round talent if not for his injury.

All this makes for what should be another interesting draft for Dallas. ... not because the Cowboys are suddenly "dumping Dak'' ... but because they are obviously sniffing around the ideas of a second QB.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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