Detroit Lions 2019 full 7-round mock draft: Wave bye to playoffs
Round Three, Pick 71: T.J. Hockenson, Tight End, Iowa
The Lions have struggled to help produce for the offense this year at the tight end position. After completely altering the position group they have seen little in the way of results with only 23 receptions for 206 yards, and three touchdowns.
The Lions could really use a threat at that position and spending a third rounder on a player like Hockenson seems like a no-brainer. Hockenson is a good run blocker, a good pass catcher, and doesn’t have a huge glaring weakness to his game.
The Draft Network’s Kyle Crabbs had this to say about Hockenson:
"“T.J. Hockenson is an absolute beast in the run game… Has a smart sense of bumping out of his stance and leaking past efforts to jam him at the line of scrimmage… Strong hands, plays a powerful brand after the catch and at the catch point."
The Draft Network’s Benjamin Solak speculates that T.J. Hockenson may even be the better tight end prospect over teammate Noah Fant (the widely assumed number one tight end in this class) and writes that Hockenson “may have the highest ceiling in this tight end group”.