When the Detroit Lions made Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson the eighth overall selection in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, an audible sigh could be heard across the Motor City. And that had little to with the outstanding prospect himself and more to do with the history of his position.
With visions of tight ends Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew dancing in their heads, Lions’ fans will need to see Hockenson produce big numbers on the field in order to shake the stigma left by those former first-rounders.