38 Days Until the College Football Season Kick Off

A tight end wearing a 30 number?

The past two days we’ve highlighted some hard nosed fullbacks. Now as we start to hit our stride in the 30’s, we take a look at a guy who is making the case for Iowa to be named Tight End U.

T.J. Hockenson played high school football for his hometown at Chariton High School. He was ranked as a three star recruit and committed to play for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Hockenson only went two and a half hours north east to play for the Hawkeyes.

In 2016, Hockenson redshirted and broke into the lineup in 2017. He started in the Hawkeyes two tight end set with another NFL tight end, Noah Fant. In that 2017 season, Hockenson caught twenty four balls going for three hundred and twenty yards and three touchdowns.

2018 was when Hockenson caught stride and really broke out. He played along Fant for the second straight season and the two were named to the Mackey Award Watch List.

In that season, the Iowa native racked up a plethora of awards. He was named the Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year, First Team All Big Ten, won the John Mackey and Ozzie Newsome Award.

As the nations top tight end, Hockenson reeled in forty six balls that went for seven hundred and seventeen yards with six touchdowns. He also had one four yard rushing attempt that went for a touchdown.

In January of 2019, Hockenson announced on Twitter that he would be entering the NFL Draft. The Detroit Lions selected the six foot five pass catcher eighth overall. He made the 2020 Pro Bowl.

For tomorrows part of the countdown on day 37, we’ll be highlighting a big time running back from Tuscaloosa.