By Michael Stets
ALLEN PARK – The talk of trading out of the No.8 overall pick in the opening round was just that, talk. In the end, Lions GM Bob Quinn stayed put and drafted Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson to bolster a glaring positional need.
Hockenson, 21, won the John Mackey Award in 2018 as the best tight end in the country. He also received the Big Ten tight end of the year award as well as first-team All-Conference honors. In 13 starts with the Hawkeyes in his sophomore season, Hockenson finished the year with 49 receptions, 760 yards and six touchdowns playing in a pro-style offense. NFL.com draft guru Daniel Jeremiah said Hockenson is “one of the best blocking tight ends” he’s ever evaluated.
Tight end production was flat out abysmal for the Lions in 2018. The entire position group accounted for only 45 receptions, 461 yards and 4 touchdowns. The team first addressed the position in free agency by signing former Pittsburgh Steeler Jesse James to a five-year deal. They’ve now further solidified the position by adding the well-rounded Hockenson, whose skills will benefit both the run and passing games as the offense transitions under new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
“[He’s] someone that’s going to represent everything that we want,” said head coach Matt Patricia on the WJR Lions Draft Show live at the Lions annual draft party. “He’s smart, tough, works hard, gives everything every single play … This is a guy that finishes every single play. He can do the dirty work in the run game, get open in the passing game, really puts a lot pressure on the defense and just gives us more multiplicity on offense.”
After the first round’s conclusion, Quinn spoke to the media, calling Hockenson a “three-down to four-down player that is going to be a big part of the offense going forward.” He added: [He] really checked every box we had in terms of the evaluation process. From on field to third down to red area to blocking to special teams to culture to intelligence to work ethic. You name it, he checked basically every box throughout the process. I’m really excited to have him here.”
Hockenson is the highest-drafted tight end since the Redskins selected Vernon Davis at No.6 out of Maryland in 2006. The Chariton, Iowa native is now the second tight end to be taken by the Lions within the top 10 of the NFL Draft in the last five years. The team took Eric Ebron out of North Carolina with the No.10 pick in 2014, but Ebron never lived up to the pick and was released prior to last season.
“I’m going to go in there and I’m going to dive into the playbook,” Hockenson said in a conference call with local media. “I’ve gotten to this point by working hard and doing everything in my ability and doing everything in my power to get to where I’m at, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do when I get to Detroit. You start at the bottom of the totem pole and then you work your way up. And that’s what I’m going to try and do and do it at the best of my ability.”
The first three picks of the first round went as many mock drafts had predicted. Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray went first overall to the Arizona Cardinals, Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa went No.2 to the San Francisco 49ers and Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams went No.3 to the New York Jets. Those three picks were followed by two shockers. The Oakland Raiders took Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell at No.4, followed by the New York Giants selecting Duke quarterback Daniel Jones at No.6.
The 2019 NFL Draft resumes tomorrow with round two set to begin at 8 p.m. ET. The Lions have pick No.43.