When the Detroit Lions drafted North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron with the 10th overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, it was a bit of a shock. Especially considering the fact the team already had another first rounder at the position, tight end Brandon Pettigrew, on the roster and who logged 41 receptions the prior season.
But with tight ends like New England’s Rob Gronkowski and New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham putting up monstrous performances across the league at the time, the Lions figured they’d try to land one of their own to help quarterback Matthew Stafford.