Last year, the Lions took a third-round flier on then-25-year-old quarterback Hendon Hooker, who tore an ACL during his final college season.
This year, Hooker debuts as the third-string quarterback for the Lions.
He’s behind Jared Goff and Nate Sudfeld on the team’s first unofficial depth chart, “compiled by Lions football communications.”
Despite the disclaimer, every depth chart has some meaning. For Hooker, it shows he has not yet shown enough to persuade those embedded with the team that he should be the primary understudy to Goff.
Elsewhere on the unofficial depth chart, David Montgomery is the starting running back. Jahmyr Gibbs and Zonovan Knight shared the second-team spot. Which is a surprise given the high hopes for Gibbs as he enters his second season.
On defense, rookie Terrion Arnold has been installed as a first-string cornerback.