After all the speculation, mock drafts and talk about trading down, the Lions went the predictable route and drafted T.J. Hockenson with the eighth overall pick.
In doing so, they took another tight end in the top 10 and did so over another top-level interior pass rusher, but they believe Hockenson will be different than Eric Ebron or Brandon Pettigrew.
That’s because Hockenson brings a level of receiving and blocking, plus experience in a pro-style offense, that can be rare in a rookie tight end. He broke out last year as a redshirt sophomore with 760 yards and six touchdowns last season at Iowa. With renowned football character, measurables at 6 feet 5 inches and 251 pounds and strong athleticism, he was considered by NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah to be the safety player in the draft.
“This is a guy that finishes every single play," Lions coach Matt Patricia said at the Lions draft party. "He can do the dirty work in the running game, make plays in the passing game. Really puts a lot of pressure on the defense and gives us more multiplicity on offense.”
The Lions took Hockenson to solve a tight end position that haunted them last year after they decided to move on from Ebron. They had the worst production in the league at the position and it was one of the biggest weaknesses of a 6-10, last-place finish.
Of course, every draft pick is about weighing the alternatives. The Lions had conversations about trading back, where they could have picked up additional selections that could potentially turn into more starters. But in doing so, they would be guessing as to who would be available, whereas they knew they liked what Hockenson brought.
They could have taken Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who has drawn some comparisons to Aaron Donald, a missed pick from the Ebron draft who continues to haunt the Lions. It’s obviously a stretch to compare anyone to Donald, though, and Oliver might have had a challenging schematic fit in Detroit.
They could have gone with a hybrid linebacker like Florida State’s Brian Burns or with another offensive lineman such as Alabama’s Jonah Williams, both of whom would fit their culture.
But they went with Hockenson, an All-American just scratching the surface of his potential, as the ever-bold top-10 pick of a tight end. He’s the slowest tight end to be drafted in the top 10 since 2000, but with a 4.7-second 40-yard dash, he’s not considered lacking in that department for being a versatile tight end.
Of course, nobody knows how Hockenson will turn out yet. Draft picks can’t effectively be graded until after they perform in the league. But at this early stage, we can evaluate the value of asset management up against potential alternatives.
Considering the player, stakes, team needs and alternatives, how would you grade Detroit’s first-round pick?