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T.J. Hockenson selected at No. 8 by Detroit Lions, just fourth Top 10 TE in 20 years
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T.J. Hockenson made a little bit of history on Thursday night.
The Detroit Lions selected Hockenson in the first round of the NFL Draft with the No. 8 pick. The former Iowa star becomes just the fourth tight end since 1997 to be selected in the top 10.
Hockenson is coming off a sensational season in 2018, hauling in 49 receptions for 760 yards and six touchdowns. He ranked sixth in receiving yardage in the B1G last year.
After a stellar year on the field, Hockenson was named the winner of the John Mackey Award, becoming the second Hawkeye to earn the honor. Dallas Clark also won the award in 2002.
Hockenson was regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2019 draft since the end of the college football season and a strong NFL Combine performance only boosted his status.
Now, he’s headed to Detroit to start his NFL career.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB