Danny Kanell is also on the Hendon Hooker Hype Train.

Draft stock for the former Tennessee quarterback is soaring as the 2023 NFL Draft approaches, and Kanell joined the chorus of voices this week stumping for Hooker to be the third quarterback off the board behind Bryce Young and CJ Stroud.

“Give me Hendon Hooker over Will Levis and Anthony Richardson all day long,” said Kanell, who also recently took a blowtorch to Levis’ stock. “Hooker’s going to be the steal of this NFL Draft at quarterback, especially if he drops to the second round where you could stumble into your franchise quarterback for the next 10 years.”

Hooker met with multiple teams last week that hold picks inside the draft’s top 10. FOX’s Joel Klatt recently said he could step into a quarterback room today and make a positive impact. Kanell agrees.

“He’s got great size, great athleticism, great improvisational skills, but most importantly, the two things that separate him: accurate passer and he makes great decisions within the pocket,” the CBS Sports analyst said. “He elevated the program to a place it hadn’t been, including a historic win over the University of Alabama, where he shredded up Nick Saban’s defense.

“I get the concern with the injury, but here’s why it doesn’t make sense to me. Because of his ACL, he’ll miss an offseason. But I don’t think it matters that much for a quarterback who’s as bright as they get. Plus, he’s a quarterback who doesn’t rely on his legs. He utilizes them. And as far as the age concern, why does it matter if a quarterback’s 25? Hooker will be ready to step in from Day 1 and command respect within the huddle and the clubhouse.”

If the 6-foot-4 Hooker wasn’t recovering from an ACL injury, a first-round selection might be a lock. In his 24 games with the Volunteers, Hooker threw for 6,080 yards and 58 touchdowns against only 5 interceptions. He completed 69% of his passes during that time and added another 10 scores and 1,046 yards on the ground.

But because of the injury, some mystery still hangs over his draft status. We’ll find out soon, with the first round set to begin on April 27.