T.J. Hockenson NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report for Detroit Lions' Pick

STRENGTHS

—John Mackey Award (best college tight end) winner as a redshirt sophomore after he caught 49 balls for 760 yards and six touchdowns.

—Young 21-year-old who is still growing and learning while already dominating; should rapidly develop in the NFL.

—Scheme-versatile tight end who can play in-line, flexed out or even in the backfield; has enough athleticism to be used in a variety of roles and situations.

—Great hands with top-notch body control and an ability to get in position to make tough catches. Incredibly competitive making catches in traffic and can own 50-50 balls up the seam or on the sideline.

—Impact blocker in both run and pass game; hooks on defenders and drives them out of the spot in the run game.

—High awareness means he's finding soft spots in zones, working back to the quarterback and helping the offense move.

—More quick than fast but has good burst to push away from coverage.

—Well-developed route tree; can run anything from outs to seam routes.

WEAKNESSES

—One-year wonder who flashed onto the scene and then declared for the draft.

—Needs to keep growing into his 6'5", 251-pound frame and add strength.

—Patience and control as a blocker must be learned; overly aggressive at the point of attack.

T.j Hockenson NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report, Grade for Lions Rookie

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OVERALL

T.J. Hockenson is among the best tight ends evaluated by this group. He's a sticky blocker, above-average athlete and fantastic route-runner. He should walk into the NFL as a high-level starter with the potential to become the best tight end in the game.

GRADE: 7.25 (ROUND 1 - TOP-15 PLAYER POTENTIAL)

PRO COMPARISON: Travis Kelce