Detroit Lions Head Coach Matt Patricia spoke shortly after the team drafted Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson with the 8th overall pick on Thursday night. According to Patricia, Hockenson was someone they targeted early in the draft process as one of the best tight ends.
General Manager Bob Quinn followed up by saying that he believes Hockenson is a three-to-four-down player and he "checked every box we had in the evaulation process."
Hockenson had 49 catches for 760 yards and six touchdowns during his final season with Iowa.
"This is a guy that finishes every single play. He can do the dirty work in the run game, get open in the passing game," Patricia said.
Patricia also mentioned how the game is moving toward the tight ends. Both Patricia and GM Bob Quinn came from the Patriots, who had one of the best tight ends in the league in Rob Gronkowski.
According to Quinn, the team was contacted about trading the pick, but none of the trades potential deals made him believe it was worth moving the pick.
When asked if Quinn would bring up Eric Ebron, who was the last tight end taken in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, also by the Lions, Quinn said, "we're not going to revisit a draft I wasn't even a part of."
"Right now, the game is always moving towards the tight end position. That's the mismatch that everyone's trying to figure out," Patricia added.
Matt Patricia on T.J. Hockenson: "Right now, the game is always moving towards the tight end position. That's the mismatch that everyone's trying to figure out." #NFLDraft
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) April 26, 2019
Matt Patricia on T.J. Hockenson: "This is a guy that finishes every single play. He can do the dirty work in the run game, get open in the passing game." #NFLDraft
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) April 26, 2019
Matt Patricia explained at the Lions Draft party what he liked about T.J. Hockenson: "Someone we targeted early in the Draft process as one of the best tight ends."
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) April 26, 2019
