With the 8th pick the Detroit Lions pick TE TJ Hockenson out of Iowa
Matthew Stafford is probably in his home crying tears of pure joy with this selection. TJ Hockenson exits Iowa with some of the surest hands of any tight end in the draft. It isn’t often that a Tight End goes this early in the NFL Draft but with this kid it’s a different story.
On top of having 790 receiving yards and six touchdowns for the Hawkeyes last season, he can block incredibly well. It’s not often that a player comes along that can catch like a wide receiver and block like a sixth offensive lineman. There were times last season that Hockenson went full Michael Oher in the blindside on defenders and Nate Stanley appreciated it. He has enough speed to give linebackers fits and the hands to get the job done.
His flaws include a slim frame and he also has the tendency to mistime high point attempts. His flaws as a pass catcher are nowhere to be found and the Lions are lucky to have landed the scrappy player out of Iowa.
Fantasy Impact of TJ Hockenson
Hockenson is a top five Dynasty selection on multiple boards I’ve seen and his addition to the Detroit Lions gives him one of the higher tier quarterbacks to play with. Hockenson should come in and play right away for the Lions and hopefully, he becomes everything we thought Eric Ebron would be as a Lion and More.
He doesn’t have much to worry about in the way of competition. The leading tight end for the Lions last season was Levine Toilolo who caught a mere 21 passes and caught only one touchdown. The Addition of Hockenson not only helps out the receiving game but also running back Kerryon Johnson by giving him another excellent blocker.
Fantrax was one of the fastest growing fantasy sites of 2018 and we’re not slowing down now! With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.