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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 02: Tight end T.J. Hockenson of Iowa works out during day three of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 2, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

32. Los Angeles Rams: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa

The second member of the Iowa Hawkeyes tight end corps gets drafted in the first round here as the Los Angeles Rams take T.J. Hockenson. Some actually have Hockenson ranked higher than Fant, who went earlier in this mock, but that’s really all about preference.

Fant is a more athletic player and is a receiving threat first. Hockenson is a more rounded player that is better in-line as a blocker. That was seen when Hockenson’s numbers didn’t match up to Fant’s during the workouts.

This isn’t to say he’s not a solid option in the passing game. The redshirt sophomore had 49 receptions for 760 yards and six touchdowns in 2018 and proved he’s more than capable of forcing teams to respect him as a receiver. He just may not be as explosive as Fant, which is fine with the Rams who already have a lot of explosive players on their roster.

What Hockenson can bring is a guy who will do everything asked of him. On run plays, he’s going to be an excellent lead blocker and on passing plays he’s going to run the right routes and has sure hands. He’s the exact type of player the Rams need to round out an already dangerous offense.

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