*T.J. Hockenson – Noteworthy
When George Kittle caught 88 passes on 136 targets for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns in just his second NFL season for the San Francisco 49ers in 2018, it brought renewed attention to an Iowa program that’s been renowned for developing tight ends since the days of Dallas Clark. But there’s never been this much of a buzz around the ability of Kirk Ferentz and his staff to mold players at the position as there is in the run-up to the 2019 draft. That’s because two Iowa tight ends, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant, could very well go in the first round of the upcoming draft. It’s rare enough for multiple tight ends to be selected in the first round, but for two from the same school? That’s a fascinating story.
Hockenson is generally the higher-rated tight end among analysts because of his blocking ability, but any NFL team looking for an elite pass-catcher will have to turn Fant’s way. He caught 78 passes for 1,083 yards and 19 touchdowns over three seasons in a program that wasn’t exactly known for its high-volume passing game, so there is a bit of projection involved, but even a cursory look at Fant’s tape tells you that the 6’4″, 249-pound Hawkeye has the look of a modern NFL tight end. He’s smooth in and out of his breaks, presents a matchup nightmare for defenders regardless of position, and has a particularly impressive knack of getting open in the red zone. – Iowa City Press-Citizen