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Iowa football: Ranking the top five tight ends in Kirk Ferentz’s tenure

By Andrew Wade

Iowa tight end Scott Chandler rushes upfield with a pass against Florida in the 2006 Outback Bowl January 2 in Tampa. Florida defeated Iowa 31 - 24. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
Iowa tight end Scott Chandler rushes upfield with a pass against Florida in the 2006 Outback Bowl January 2 in Tampa. Florida defeated Iowa 31 - 24. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – NOVEMBER 03: T.J. Hockenson #38 of the Iowa Hawkeyes catches a touchdown pass in the end zone as Kenneth Major #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers defends at Ross-Ade Stadium on November 3, 2018 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – NOVEMBER 03: T.J. Hockenson #38 of the Iowa Hawkeyes catches a touchdown pass in the end zone as Kenneth Major #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers defends at Ross-Ade Stadium on November 3, 2018 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

3. TJ Hockenson

If we had made this list last year, Hockenson wouldn’t have even been in the top-15. As a redshirt freshman he had 24 catches for 320 yards and three touchdowns so his most recent surprise could be considered somewhat of a shock. Moreover, he may not have Moeaki or Chandler beat in terms of overall catches, yards, or touchdowns, but this season was one for the history books and cannot be ignored.

It was arguably one of the top three seasons in the history of Iowa football for the tight end position. That’s how good it was.

He took him First Team All-Big Ten honors. He was the recipient of the 2018 Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year, and more impressively, the recipient of the 2018 John Mackey Award. To top it off, he was named a Second Team All-American this season. Literally, the only thing that could have made this season better was being named First Team All-American, and that’s getting a little greedy.

This season’s stat line of 46 catches, 717 yards and six touchdowns rivals that of any of the other guys on the list. His catches and yards are more than Fant has had in any season. His yards and touchdowns are more tied or greater than anything Scott Chandler did, and he is just 25 yards shy of topping every single major stat in Dallas Clark’s legendary 2002 season.

If he decides to return to Iowa City next year, we could very well be talking about Hockenson in the same conversation as Marv Cook as the greatest tight end in Iowa football history.

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