At a glance: Lions head coach Matt Patricia may once have looked after New England's defensive side of the ball, but he took a leaf from the offensive unit when drafting tight end T.J. Hockenson in the draft. The Gronk-esque tight end, a solid defensive draft and productive free agency means the Lions got a lot better this off-season.
In New England, tight end Rob Gronkowski carved out a high-impact role as Tom Brady's Swiss army knife. He was a touchdown machine, drew coverage, opened running lanes, helped keep his quarterback upright and won almost any match-up he needed to. In T.J. Hockenson, the Detroit Lions expect a guy with similar tools.
Hockenson's elite blocking and pass-catching made him one of the most highly-touted tight ends to come out of college and he is sure to give an elite crease to Detroit's offense. With better wideout weapons in Detroit and the recently acquired Jesse James also filling a tight end position, the Lions offense looks more formidable than a lot around the league.
We wrote prior to the draft that Detroit's front seven was a major factor in becoming a Top 10 defense in 2018, and it only got better in the draft. Second-round pick Jahlani Tavai may only be used for linebacker depth in his first year before supplanting Jarrad Davis for a starting role. The pick could have been used to provide a solid starting cornerback opposite Darius Slay, but the team instead opted to grab another safety - which are always welcome in head coach Matt Patricia's scheme.
DRAFT PICKS (per ESPN)
1.08 T.J. Hockenson TE
2.11 Jahlani Tavai ILB
3.17 Will Harris S
4.15 Austin Bryant, DE
5.08 Amani Oruwariye CB
6.11 Travis Fulgham WR
6.13 Ty Johnson RB
7.10 Isaac Nauta TE
7.15 PJ Johnson DT
ORIGINAL COVER PHOTO: SB Nation
