Getty T.J. Hockenson makes a gesture in the season finale for the Lions.
It’s been a while since the Detroit Lions have had talented enough players to be a threat on national NFL lists, but with tight end T.J. Hockenson, that might be set to change big time in the future.
Hockenson has looked primed to be a player that makes some noise in league circles given his talent, and already, that has begun to be the case. Another honor has come down which proves just how much Hockenson has to offer this season on the field for the Lions.
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Recently, Hockenson was named one of the NFL’s top 100 players from the 2020 season, checking in at 93. The list, which is voted on by players across the league, is a big feather in Hockenson’s cap and showcases where he could be heading in terms of development for the future.
Another debut on the #NFLTop100 👏
@Lions TE @TheeHOCK8 comes in at 93!
Last season, Hockenson was a Pro Bowl talent, but it’s safe to say his goals will be even bolder for 2021, and that is especially true given this particular honor in NFL circles.
Darren Fells: T.J. Hockenson Has ‘No Weakness’
Hockenson getting this love from his peers might not be that surprising in the end. Thus far entering his third season in the NFL, Hockenson has been a revelation, and is looking poised to become a star at the position. Teammate Darren Fells sees that playing out in a big way in the future, and recently said he believes that Hockenson is more than equipped to be the difference-maker the Lions have needed at the spot.
Speaking after a practice at Ford Field on Saturday, August 7, Fells was asked by the media his impressions of Hockenson. As he said in an interview posted to DetroitLions.com, the youngster doesn’t have much to work on at this point in time as complete as he is.
“In my mind he’s one of the top tight ends in the NFL. He can go out there, make big plays, he’s a great blocker as well. I feel when he’s next to me, there’s no weakness there. I’ve been places where you don’t know what you’re going to get, and with Hockenson, you know what you’re going to get,” Fells said.
That’s high praise for Hockenson considering who’s heaping it on him. Fells has been around the block in the league himself, so hearing him say such things about Hockenson is very noteworthy.
Hockenson’s Career Stats
There is simply no understating the importance of Hockenson to the Lions in the future moving forward in 2021 and beyond. The team hasn’t gotten much of anything from any of the other tight ends on their roster the last few years, and while he hasn’t had the most dramatic statistical impact thus far in his career, Hockenson has easily been one of the team’s top rookies in 2019 and 2020 and a player capable of impacting both the run and the passing games.
During his rookie season in 2019, many fans were upset with Hockenson for not making a bigger impact on the game. He had only 367 yards and 2 touchdowns on the year which is not the statistical impact that many people expected from him as a top selection for the team. 2020 was a major bounce back from that, though, and Hockenson put up 723 yards and 6 touchdowns to rebound well.
Clearly, Hockenson is on the right track to being thought of as one of the best players in the league at his position. Given this honor, that feat may play out much sooner than expected, and it will be fun to see how high Hockenson can climb in coming years.
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