Cleveland Browns: 2019 7-Round mock draft, Vol. 3

Round 3: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa – 6-5, 250 lbs. (Listed)

• 49 receptions for 760 yards (25.7 percent) for 7 touchdowns in 2018.

To this point, Hockenson has not announced a decision on whether to enter the 2019 NFL Draft. If he does, he might be the best tight end prospect in the class and would likely go much higher. He has elite production this season and he’s doing it as a tight end that spends a lot of time playing inline. And since he has spent so much time inline, he’s got a ton of experience blocking.

So much attention is on his teammate and fellow tight end Noah Fant, who some regard as the best tight end prospect in this class, but Hockenson produced more and has more obvious utility. Fant is more of a space player, which is fine, but Hockenson seems to be able to do most everything Fant does but can play inline or out in space.

Hockenson is extremely explosive out of his stance, can fire off the ball into a block or a downfield route, but he’s also got the ability to explode out and reach block a pretty good distance away. He has shown the ability to get out and seal the edge against defenders a couple yards outside of him.

Hockenson is a pretty solid blocker inline, has a ton of experience there and benefits from a program that has produced a number of NFL caliber offensive linemen. Occasionally, he gets beat but he’s not lacking in terms of his effort or willingness to block.

As a receiver, Hockenson is dangerous down the seam and crossing the field as he’s got a good amount of speed and can outrun opponents trying to defend him. He shows the ability to box opponents out and concentrate through contact to make catches. Hockenson is just a consistent matchup nightmare for opponents.

And considering what the Browns have in a player like David Njoku, this only adds to the ways the Browns can cause problems for opponents. Njoku has improved as an inline blocker in his own right, but they can use both inline, have one operate as a wing, put one in space or have them both out wide to create running and passing options.

Iowa put Hockenson all over the place and was not afraid to let him crack, which is something the Browns have done with Jarvis Landry. Hockenson is a better athlete and obviously has more size, so it should be more of an advantage. Teams can never have too many athletic tight ends and it’s something that has been very good to Baker Mayfield both with the Browns and in college at Oklahoma.