Big shoes to fill: Replacing 2019 NFL Draft first round picks

Shaun Beyer – Iowa

Replacing: T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions

T.J. Hockenson really came onto the scene in a big way as a redshirt sophomore last season. Along with Noah Fant, another first-round tight end from the Iowa Hawkeyes, Hockenson was a critical part of the offense last season and replacing him is going to be a difficult task for a number of reasons.

First of all, Hockenson was productive in the Iowa passing attack last season. In 13 games, he caught 49 passes for 760 yards and six touchdowns. For good measure, he also received one carry on the year and rushed it in for a four-yard score. However, why Hockenson will be perhaps even harder to replace than Fant is the simple fact that he was a superior blocker than his former teammate at the college level.

Since the Hawkeyes will have to replace two star tight ends, their task is more difficult than many other college football programs. Making the task even harder is the simple fact that Fant and Hockenson dominated the snaps throughout their time at Iowa, meaning there is little game experience at the position left on the roster right now.

In terms of a pegging a replacement, the best bet is likely Shaun Beyer. Beyer was actually also part of the 2016 recruiting class that brought both Fant and Hockenson in but has not seen much action at tight end at all. Even still, with a group that has few options in terms of experience, Beyer is as promising as anyone else.