Maybe it’s the wild mop of curly blond hair that spills out under his backward baseball cap.
Or it could his laconic speech that goes so well with an easy smile, both of which are perfectly on brand for his laidback style.
It’s hard to put a finger on what it is exactly about Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson that belies the intense and serious commitment he made to become a better player in his second season.
But make no mistake. Hockenson, 23, has improved dramatically. He leads the team with 52 catches and he’s second with 614 receiving yards.