Detroit Lions sign first-round draft pick Eric Ebron

In the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions went out and got even more help for quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Calvin Johnson and the rest of the offense when they selected arguably the best tight end prospect in the draft, North Carolina’s Eric Ebron.

On Friday, the team signed their new weapon to his rookie deal.

The deal is for four years worth roughly $12.2 million and a $7.2 million signing bonus.

Ebron has that rare ability as a tight end to not only be able to handle himself at the line of scrimmage, but run routes as well as any wide receiver that’s on the field with him.

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He set an ACC and North Carolina single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end last year with 973. He established school records for single-season receptions (62), career receptions (112) and career receiving yards (1,805) for a tight end.

In the Lions’ high-powered offense, Ebron is expected to take on a role such as Jimmy Graham’s with the Saints, which if it works out that way, Ebron could be considered one of the Lions’ best draft picks of the last decade.

Recently, Ebron talked a bit about how he’s picking up that offense.

“Figuring out the offense, you’ll never be 100 percent, but at least knowing what to do, where to line up and where to be, now I can do the things that got me here,” Ebron said after minicamp practice this week.