T.J. Hockenson was drafted No. 8 overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Iowa. 97 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 33 career approximate value
2019 NFL Draft · Rd 1, Pick 8 · #8 overall
T.J. Hockenson Iowa Draft
T.J. Hockenson was drafted No. 8 overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Iowa. 97 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 33 career approximate value
2× Pro Bowl
- Overall pick
- #8
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 2019
- NFL games
- 97
- Years as starter
- 4
- Career AV
- 3329th at Iowa
- Pro Bowls
- 2
The pick
How T.J. Hockenson came off the board in 2019.
- Position
- Tight end TE
- College
-
Iowa
Big Ten at the draft
- Measurables
- 6'5" · 251 lbs
- Hometown
- Chariton, IA
- Pre-draft board
- No. 6 prospect92.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
97 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 33 career approximate value
- Games played
- 97
- Seasons as a starter
- 4
- Career approximate value
- 3329th among Iowa picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 1648% of career value
- Final season
- 20256 years after the draft
- Accolades
- 2× Pro Bowl
Around pick 8
Who came off the board on either side of T.J. Hockenson.
Duke
Kentucky · 2× Pro Bowl
Houston
Michigan
Iowa in the 2019 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other TE picks from Iowa
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
George Kittle
TE · SF · 2017
Iowa · 2× All-Pro · 7× Pro Bowl
#63
Marv Cook
TE · NE · 1989
Iowa · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
#24
Dallas Clark
TE · IND · 2003
Iowa · 1× All-Pro · 1× Pro Bowl
#34
Sam LaPorta
TE · DET · 2023
Iowa · 1× Pro Bowl
#20
Noah Fant
TE · DEN
Iowa
#129
Scott Chandler
TE · LAC · 2007
Iowa
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
T.J. Hockenson in the 2019 NFL Draft
T.J. Hockenson is a Tight end out of Iowa selected No. 8 overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2019 NFL Draft. 97 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 33 career approximate value Iowa has produced 164 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was T.J. Hockenson drafted?
T.J. Hockenson was selected No. 8 overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2019 NFL Draft (Rd 1, Pick 8). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2019/t-j-hockenson.
What college did T.J. Hockenson play for?
T.J. Hockenson played college football at Iowa in the Big Ten. See every Iowa draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/iowa-hawkeyes.
How did T.J. Hockenson's NFL career turn out?
97 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 33 career approximate value Accolades: 2× Pro Bowl. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2019/t-j-hockenson.