Understandably, many fans of the Detroit Lions felt uneasy when the team announced that Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson was their choice with the eighth overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. After all, those same fans experienced the careers of fellow first-round tight ends in Motown like Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew.
But most reserved judgment until actually seeing Hockenson play, likely holding out hope he’d be different. And they were rewarded with early preseason hype that exploded in a record-setting debut.
In his first professional NFL game, Hockenson would record six receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown in his Week One matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.