Of course they have question marks, but again, if I have the choice between upside and safe - particularly with a QB - I'm going upside. Safe doesn't get you Super Bowls.
I believe in McVay's ability to help a young quarterback as well, which is why I'm high on Richardson. I imagine him sitting behind Stafford for a year, and eventually taking the reins once Stafford retires. Even if Stafford retires after this year, I'd still take Richardson if he's there in the second round. We're talking a potential top five quarterback once the older breed retires. We're talking Josh Allen at his peak.
Hooker, to me, doesn't have near the upside that Richardson does. Add in the age (twenty-five is old for a rookie) and the injury, and I'm not comfortable with drafting him.
I don't share that stance. For me to take upside, I need to believe the QB will reach it. McVay can't fix bad accuracy, bad touch, bad instincts, and mental fragility. Maybe Richardson manages to fix those things, but you're betting on a lottery ticket. It's easy to point to Josh Allen. But for every Josh Allen, there are many Jake Lockers, Cardale Joneses, JaMarcus Russells, Logan Thomases, Terrelle Pryors, DeShone Kizers, Joe Webbs, and Brett Hundleys.
Frankly, as great as a 4.5 40 and a rocket launcher for an arm are, upside for QBs in the NFL is mostly dictated by mental acuity, instincts, accuracy, and intangibles. Yes, Josh Allen is a nightmare because of his physical gifts. Yes, Patrick Mahomes is a nightmare because of his physical gifts. But Tom Brady isn't a freak athlete and doesn't have a rocket arm. Joe Burrow isn't a freak athlete and doesn't have a rocket arm.
You look at the best QBs of the past 30 years, and most of them weren't freakish athletes and didn't have cannons for arms. Many of them had solid to good mobility. Many of them had good arms. But what made them great players was/is their ability to read defenses, throw accurate passes with touch, and the intangible qualities that made them strong leaders and mentally tough QBs.
I look at Hooker and see a kid who has accuracy and touch for days, strong intangible qualities, and good mobility. And he has a plenty of arm. Does he have the mental acuity to be great? I don't know. We won't know until he gets to the NFL and plays in a pro offense. But you can say that about almost any QB prospect.