NFL Draft 2019: 5 teams most likely to take a tight end
By Kevin Scott
Detroit Lions
That look on Ebron’s face above is the look Detroit Lions fans were making every time Ebron caught one of his 13 touchdowns during 2018 – for the Indianapolis Colts. Many Lions fans who have pined for a great tight end must feel like they just can’t win. Their team finally prioritizes tight end and takes Ebron with the 10th overall pick in 2014, only to have him underachieve for four years until they finally move on.
Needless to say, the Lions are not known for their tight end talent. In a poll last year, Lions fans chose Brandon Pettigrew as the best receiving tight end in Lions history. Perhaps it is time for them to roll the dice on another early pick at the position, to see if they can land a truly elite tight end. This offseason they did bring in Jesse James after his Steelers tenure ended, and they have Michael Roberts still, who has showed flashes. But they could certainly use one of these elite tight ends.
The Lions have nine overall picks in the draft, and their first pick is the No. 8 overall. They could grab Hockenson there or trade back into the later first round and grab one of the other two, but just as likely they could trade back from the eighth to a team who wants to trade up for their own player, and still land one of the top tight ends in the mid-to-late first.