The Detroit Lions made a splash in the draft this past weekend. Many observers expected Detroit to trade down, but they ultimately decided to stay pat at number eight. With the pick, they selected T.J. Hockenson, a tight end from Iowa.

Tight end has been a position of weakness for the Lions for a while now. Last year they had one of the weakest tight end groups in the league, and the position pretty much wasn't a part of their offense. The Lions drafted Eric Ebron in the top ten a handful of years ago, but he never panned out in Detroit.

They let him walk in free agency, and he ended up having a career year with the Colts last season. Drafting another tight end so early in the first round was a significant risk, and the front office needs it to pay off.

Kyle Meinke of MLive took a look at the Lions' draft class and how it'll impact the depth chart, and he projects Hockenson to start as a rookie. As of right now, he's the only rookie in Detroit's class that he sees winning a starting job.

The Lions were clearly focused on upgrading the position this offseason, as they also signed Jesse James to a massive deal. Last year their top receiver was journeyman Levine Toilolo, who finished with just 21 catches and one touchdown.

Tight end is widely considered one of the most difficult positions to transition to the pro game from college for. Rookie tight ends don't often catch a ton of passes, but Hockenson has the potential to be an exception. After all, the Lions likely wouldn't have drafted him that early if they didn't think he could contribute right away.