Scout Report – T.J. Hockenson

• Position: Tight End
• College: Iowa Hawkeyes
• Pre-Draft Position Rank: 1 of 26

Age: 21 | Height: 6’5 | Weight: 251 lbs
NFL Size Comparison: Zach Ertz

• Average Opposing Defense Rank: 62.3
• Average Opposing Pass Defense Rank: 57.8
• Average Opposing Rush Defense Rank: 61.4
• Recorded Catching Record: 5-0-1
• Recorded Blocking Record: 14-13-8, 2 DT
  • 40% quality block rate, 63% contention rate

RESUME:

• Ranked 8th in receiving yards in the Big Ten Conference (760)
• Best Game: @ Indiana (W 42-16)
  • 4 rec | 107 yards | 2 TDs
• Played against 1 top-25 defense (1-0)
  • vs. #18 Miss State (W 27-22)
    • 3 rec | 43 yards
• Played against 2 top-25 pass defenses
  • @ #17 Penn State, ranked 8th
  • vs. #18 Miss State, ranked 1st
• Played against 3 top-25 rush defenses
  • vs. Northern Illinois, ranked 14th
  • vs. Iowa State, ranked 21st
  • vs. #18 Miss State, ranked 10th
• John Mackey Award (2018)
  
• Ozzie Newsome Award (2018)
  
• First-team All-Big Ten (2018)
  
• Kwalick–Clark Tight End of the Year (2018)
• Ranked as the 5th best prospect on NFL Draft Tracker (6.35)

Strengths:

• Shows aggressive mindset when going for a block
• Gets upfield quickly, can become a vertical threat quickly
• Shifty off the line of scrimmage, can be difficult to jam him on the line
• Shows good body control, can dive for passes, and even extend his body to grab passes normally out of reach
• Keeps eyes up when asked to climb to the next level, does not lose sight of his blocking assignment
• Keeps his catching to the fundamentals, does not try to showboat or do anything unnecessary if it is not needed
• Can show surprising athleticism when put on the spot
• Shows a quick burst out of his snap, can catch DBs off guard and gain some separation
• Reliable on face-up blocks, drives with his feet to keep the pressure on the would-be rusher

Weaknesses:

• Can be caught pulling jersey if out-positioned, easy holding calls
• Slow when blocking the Edge as opposed to a 5-tech or a face up defender, can be outmaneuvered by swift Edge rushers off the snap
• Extremely slow on the pass block, complete liability if asked to block as a FB
• Slow when cutting on his routes, smarter DBs can jump his route
• Poor positioning when asked to block at the next level, does a poor job squaring up to who he needs to block
• Overall poor judge of positioning when blocking
• Funky 3-point stance, places himself down like a frog
• Can mistime when to jump for high balls, making for awkward plays of him landing before the ball is playable

Bold Predictions:

• Draft Placement: 2nd-3rd Round
• Plays like: Travis Kelce (NFL.com)
• Ceiling: NFL All-Pro
• Floor: NFL backup

Overview:

Hockenson is not a flashy player, but does show grit. He is not afraid to go over the middle, and plays on a fundamental level that keeps him from making stupid mistakes. He plays aggressive off the snap on both passing and running plays, making for a tenacious blocker that is not afraid to attack the edge rusher or the linebacker. Hockenson does show problems getting to edge rushers further out than 5-technique DEs, and his inability to get out to block these edge rushers creates easy pressure for the defense. He is also slow on the cut when running his routes, allowing for smarter or more athletic DBs to tail him or jump his route easily. He can be a strong option for teams looking for a second TE in double tight formations, and can develop even further to be a go-to option for any offense.