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Iowa football: 2019 NFL Draft Preview of TJ Hockenson

By Andrew Wade

BLOOMINGTON, IN - OCTOBER 13: T.J. Hockenson #38 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs for a touchdown against the Indiana Hossiers at Memorial Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - OCTOBER 13: T.J. Hockenson #38 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs for a touchdown against the Indiana Hossiers at Memorial Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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After months of speculation, the 2019 NFL Draft is here in just a few days. Here’s our quick and dirty preview of Iowa football TE TJ Hockenson.

The biggest riser from last year’s Iowa football team is undoubtedly TJ Hockenson. The relatively unheralded tight end was overlooked due to the emergence of Noah Fant as a first-round prospect prior to the season even beginning, yet, he managed to explode on the scene, making a name for himself in the process.

Funny enough, even after Hockenson declared, there wasn’t a ton of scouting information on him. After all, nobody expected the Iowa football team to have two early entrants from the tight end position and with Hockenson being just a redshirt sophomore, many thought it would be at least another year before he tried his hand at the NFL Draft.

Now, the Chariton, Iowa native is a top-ten overall prospect and one of the best tight end prospects to come along in quite some time, and he is being projected anymore from 7th overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars to 20th overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nearly every team in between those picks has also been linked to Hockenson in one way or another.

What the scouts are saying:

  • Fantastic blocker–Possibly a top-five blocking tight end in the NFL from day one.
  • Great hands–Reliable target who is not susceptible to drops
  • Versatile–The guy can play any position within the TE frame. He can play in-line or split out. He can run block and he can catch. He makes it difficult for defenses to align appropriately because he is just as likely to put your lineman in the dirt as he is to catch a ball on a seam route for 20 yards.

What the numbers say:

  •  4th most receiving yards for a TE in 2018 (760)
  •  6th most receptions for a TE in 2018 (49)
  •  11 most TDs for a TE in 2018 (6)
  •  First Team All-Big Ten
  •  John Mackey Award Winner
  •  Ozzie Newsome Award Winner
  •  All-American

To sum up, what these numbers mean, I’m going to provide a quote from The Draft Network’s Kyle Crabbs:

"The challenge for Hockenson’s tape? Listing a weakness. Hockenson is comfortable in any number of roles, giving comfort that he’ll be fine in WCO or vertical passing offenses alike. He’s a scheme transcendent prospect."

Projection:

  • Ultimately, I feel like TJ Hockenson at 7 might be too rich for the Jaguars, but they do need a tight end. The Bills and  Broncos could use him, but I believe Hockenson is going to be a Green Bay Packer.

The NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 25th at 7 PM CST.

Next. Iowa is the correct TE U. dark

With 10 minute rounds, we are likely to hear Hockenson’s name called within the first two hours.

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