Hendon Hooker was back with a smile on Thursday inside the Anderson Training Center, throwing to Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman and showcasing what he can do for NFL scouts in attendance. Even though the former Tennessee quarterback isn’t yet cleared to go through dropbacks, he was able to stand and throw and talk to scouts and talk with reporters.

“I’m just having a great time,” he said after.

Hooker tore the ACL in his left knee during Tennessee’s loss to South Carolina on Nov. 19. It ended a magnificent career and may have even cost him the Heisman Trophy.

However, it might not cost him a 1st-round draft pick in next month’s NFL Draft.

ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum has Hooker being selected 5th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in his latest mock draft for the outlet. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was on hand for Hooker’s Pro Day on Thursday.

There’s been speculation about whether Hooker will be fully healthy by the time the NFL season starts up. Asked about some expressing doubt, Hooker laughed.

“Yeah, well, I just met with my doctor on Monday and he said that I’ll be good,” Hooker said. “So, yeah, I look forward to that.”

If he was healthy, a 1st-round selection would probably 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.

He has the size (6-foot-4) and the production. But the injury concern is obviously there.

He said Thursday he will be able to resume straight-line running in 3 weeks. In the next 7-10 days he expects to be cleared to take dropbacks. He has spoken with all 32 NFL franchises and says he has no expectations for draft night.

“I just want to play football,” he said.

That’ll come. In the meantime, he’s looking to convince someone to fall in love with him early in the draft. Asked what is fueling his rise up boards despite still recovering from injury, Hooker said his football IQ and character are helping.

“What I do best is leadership and just being personable,” he said. “Being able to communicate with my teammates at a high level and communicate with others at a high level. The energy that I bring and just the competitive nature as well. I feel like that’s the second thing, and then after that it would be my accuracy.”