It’s a position the Detroit Lions seemingly have tried to redevelop multiple times over the past few years. As the club cycled through a multitude of tight ends, from Brandon Pettigrew to Tony Scheffler to Joseph Fauria, Michael Williams and Matthew Mulligan, it’s often been a spot where consistency hasn’t existed.
It’s how the Lions, again, could be looking at a tight end somewhat early in the draft. Eric Ebron, the team’s first-round pick in 2014, has been developing and enters his fourth season as the team’s likely starter. The Lions have not indicated whether or not they will pick up Ebron’s fifth-year option or sign him to an extension after three seasons where he caught 133 passes for 1,496 yards and seven touchdowns.
How Detroit chooses to handle Ebron could give an idea of how much of a need the position is, but it’s a spot where depth is clearly necessary and a future starter could be something Detroit considers as well.
What the Lions have: Eric Ebron (starter), Darren Fells (primary blocking tight end), Cole Wick, Khari Lee, Kennard Backman.
Chances the Lions draft a player at this position: 75 percent
Need level (out of five): 3.5
Players to watch in the draft:
David Njoku, Miami: The No. 2 tight end according to Scouts, Inc., he’s a player that has speed (4.55 40-yard dash) and has good size for the position at 6-foot-4, 246 pounds. Like the Lions have been trying to create with Ebron, the hope would be that he would be a mismatch in the slot. While it would seem unlikely the Lions would use their first-round pick on a tight end again, Njoku could be the best option on the draft board at No. 21. He had 64 catches for 1,060 yards and nine touchdowns in his career. Drafting Njoku could lead to bad signs for Ebron’s long-term future with Detroit. Njoku might an intriguing enough prospect for the Lions to make the move.
Adam Shaheen, Ashland: The small-school tight end could be a second-or-third round pick as the No. 4 tight end in his class. His size (6-6, 278 pounds) is impressive for his position and he has the footwork of the former basketball player he was. He had 57 catches for 867 yards and 16 touchdowns last season and would be a strong complement to Ebron both as a potential in-line tight end and obvious red zone threat.
Jake Butt, Michigan: If the Lions want to take some time, Butt could be the pick in the middle rounds. He would be much higher on draft boards if not for his torn right ACL. The injury could bump him into the middle rounds and considering what the Lions have this year at tight end, that’s a spot Detroit could develop someone for the future. His hands are a strength and his size, at 6-5, 246 pounds, is optimal. Drafting injured players isn’t always a smart strategy, but at some point his value will be too strong to ignore. So if he’s sitting there in Round 3 when Detroit picks, that might be the right spot. Even more so if it’s the fourth round.
George Kittle, Iowa: The No. 10 tight end in his class, he’s an attractive pick potentially in the fourth round. He has very good speed with a 4.52-second 40-yard dash along with good hands. He’s also a strong blocker. His 6-4, 247-pound size isn’t great for an in-line tight end, but on Day 3 he’d be a good prospect. His 48 catches for 737 yards and 10 career touchdowns are good numbers considering he only really played two seasons for the Hawkeyes.
Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech: The No. 7 tight end could be a third-or-fourth round prospect and would be a good prospect to use alongside or as eventual replacement for Ebron. He has elite height at 6-5 and his measurable traits are impressive with a 4.57-second 40, a 39-inch vertical jump, 134-inch broad jump and 12.08-second 60-yard shuttle. Considering Bob Quinn mentioned speed and athleticism when he mentioned traits in prospects, Hodges is a guy worth keeping an eye on.
Michael Roberts, Toledo: If the Lions want to target a blocking tight end later in the draft, Roberts might be the guy. He’s not going to wow with his athletic intangibles and he didn’t put up massively impressive numbers throughout his Toledo career. But he can block and if the Lions trust in Ebron long-term, Roberts could learn from both Fells and Ebron before sliding into the No. 2 or No. 3 tight end role.
