If he doesn’t i’ll bring you some awesome montana brew
Here is the breakdown: Hockenson could be a quality TE. You do not take a TE that high and it’s a terrible pick even if he turns out to be decent. I really thought he would be good but I do have doubts now. Probably going to be often injured and he really isn’t that fast. Terrible value.
Tavai- about as bad of a pick as you can make. How does an NFL GM make that pick. Especially with someone like DK Metcalf on the board. Tavai is a 5th round talent taken in the 2nd. This pick is as bad as Alama Francis, Ryan Broyles. Pathetic.
Harris- traded up for him which makes it worse. The only thing he showed this year is that he can’t cover. Another TERRIBLE selection.
Austin Bryant- Who?
The Lions ended up with absolutely nothing. This was like Mayhews draft where he took Ebron. It was a terrible draft and then the next year he doubled down with suck and drafted Laken. In a first round trade down that netted Manny Ramirez and a 5th round pick. 2nd round pick was Abdullah. Quinn can’t afford another draft like this one.
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He does have a big catch radius and is a legit red zone threat. Bad pick though.
I can agree that after that first season it’s fair to be concerned about Hockenson
I think primarily concerning injury moving forward
Bad pick? TBD
If he goes to a few PBs and has an 8-10 year career, it was a successful pick
Any player that hits those kind of milestones is a good pick
There will be at least a few drafted before him that will not have their 5th year option picked up
Are those good picks?
The arguments about positional value mean nothing if the positional value guy is destined to flame out
And yes, all you can say after one year is who got the best early returns on their picks
We all know grading rookies after one season is a bad idea.
Comparing guards and safeties as rookie to tight ends and linebackers is not a great way to look at this at all. Most rookie LBers struggle as do TEs as do QBs as do WRs and so on.
Hock showed us what he is capable of doing and then he struggled after that. Does that mean he is going to be a career 300-400 yards per season catch guy? No. He learned some lessons and I am looking forward to seeing what he can do in 2020.
Concerning the Kittle mention as a rookie Kittle caught 43 passes for 515 yards on seven starts with 2 TDSs and a 12.0 YPC average (http://www.nfl.com/player/georgekittle/2558266/profile). Hock has
catches for 367 yards and an 11.5 YPC average. Hock played in 12 games with 7 starts. Both went to Iowa. I am not willing to concede anything about Hock as a second year player in terms of upside.
Did the Lions get as much out of their rookie draft class? No. What does that say about year two? Nothing at all.
I can easily see a case where on three years the Lions had one of the best draft classes in 2019. I can also see this remaining one of the worst NFC draft classes. But I know a grade on year one doesn’t matter at all.
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I’d be happy if Hock and Tavai turn it around, and we get something out of Bryant. I don’t see it with Harris nor Johnson, but Johnson was a low pick anyway. In four years, AO may be the only survivor. from this class and if that’s true, hopefully we’ll be saying how much better the new GM evaluates talent.
Exactly. Both sides of this argument could be right. That’s why its a bad idea…
If we get three or four average starters from this draft, then its not a bust. So we’ll just have to see.
Taking a TE in the top 10 is bad value, no matter how you slice it. People can rationalize any pick as a good pick as long as the player is decent but I don’t ever see Hock as a game-changer, he’s a glorified role-player…not to mention the injuries he’s already sustained: concussion and a broken ankle for a Tight End that is not very fast to begin with does not tragect well.
The Tavai pick seemed like a reach but has yet to be determined.
Same goes for Will Harris, he has the measurables but his instincts are suspect.
Austin Bryant might have been worth the gamble, yet to be determined of course.
Oruwariye might have the most hope for being a contributor.
On the surface this looks like a bad draft, time will tell of course.
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Yes a bad value …but not a bad pick …that can’t be determined yet .
Totally agree this may turn out to be the top five worst draft of anybody in history but it could also turn into a pretty good one. Time will be the ultimate Factor.
I’ve never gotten into the debate on whether tight end is a good position to pick where we did or not and I never will get into that battle as I think it is stupid. If Hockinson turns out to be 10 year player and ends up getting three contracts and makes four or five Pro Bowl and that is a great pic regardless of position and spot he was drafted. I swear something drafting a defensive end who doesn’t even get his fifth year option picked up is a better idea than drafting a tight end there get past that
Well u could get your wish, I think Quinn has drafted one above avg player in 4 drafts and that’s Gollowday. So if all u want is a avg player at #8 over all you probably get that. Tavi will be hard pressed to even be avg. With his 4.84 speed. He is a 2 down player at best
I agree …but once you pick a TE top 10 you negate the benefit of the 5th year option , that 5th year option especially for a TE is bad value. The option is one that is picked up on potential or before making a long term commitment …with a TE though the 5th year option will roughly make him the highest paid player at the position for the year it’s picked up or very close to it …The precedent or predictability of the growing path and success behind them (TE’s) well established for the position and what they bring to the team early .
Again paying Hockenson the 5th year option and then if deserved paying again on a long term deal the following year… you are paying Hockenson what would likely amount to what is being payed to Kittle and Kelce on 2nd contracts combined over the span of what Hockenson gets from the day he is drafted.
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I actually disagree.
I think there are two types of draft picks.
Immediate impact players.
Developmental players.
I think a good draft is one that finds 3 players that have an immediate impact in year one. Those players tend stand out almost immediately. I do not think the Lions had one such player in last years draft. Hock maybe but even he is a stretch.
Quality developmental players tend to show promise in their first year as well. They have flashes of contributions. If a GM can hit on one of these players in each draft it can turn a good draft into a great one.
I’d put Hock, Harris, Tavai and Oruwariye all in this category. If 3 of them develop into real contributors than BQ’s draft can be saved but as of right now it’s a huge failure.
A good draft should find 3 quality starters and some developmental depth players. Anything less than that will set a franchise back. Anything more than that will move a franchise ahead.
Last years draft has set the team back.
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