Trying to catch up on the latest news between Days 1 and 2 of the 2019 NFL draft. Whether you're a big Detroit Lions fan, or root for some other team, here's all you need to know. Preview First, we look ahead to Friday night's Rounds 2 and 3. As of Friday morning, the Lions hold the 43rd and 88th overall selections. But who will they take. Dave Birkett has a few ideas. Who is Hockenson? On Thursday, the Lions selected Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson. The comparisons to former Lions tight end Eric Ebron, whom the team took with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 draft, will be prevalent. What Lions GM Bob Quinn said:Hockenson checked every box Our writers all chimed in on the pick. Even our readers shared their thoughts on social media. Dave Birkett:Hockenson isn't Rob Gronkowski, but he's right for Lions Shawn Windsor:Don't let the past scare you: Lions made right call with Hockenson Carlos Monarrez:Lions get C-minus for drafting Hockenson. Here's why Jeff Seidel:Hockenson works for Lions. But defense would have been nice Here's more of what Hockenson said after getting picked: “Like I said, I’m excited to get to Detroit, I’m excited to get to work, I’m excited to dive in the playbook and learn as much as I can in order to become a trustworthy guy.” Grades Of course, every writer seemingly grades every move. And we compiled a roundup of what scribes said about the Lions' pick. Not a lot of A's, but no F's, either. Gone Blue! Two Michigan football stars were selected in Round 1 on Thursday. At No. 10, linebacker Devin Bush was picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers. More:Devin Bush Jr. was exactly what Steelers wanted And at No. 12, the Green Bay Packers selected defensive lineman Rashan Gary. Or should we say, linebacker. More:Gary at outside linebacker? Packers will try it Contact Kirkland Crawford: kcrawford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.<doc-sep>Free Press sports writer Carlos Monarrez grades the Detroit Lions after selecting Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson with the No. 8 pick in the 2019 NFL draft: Pick: Tight end T.J. Hockenson, Iowa. Grade: C-minus. The reason: Hockenson is the complete package and fills a need. He will become the new Jimmy Graham in Darrell Bevell’s offense. But this is the only position that comes with tremendous baggage due to Eric Ebron’s debacle as the No. 10 pick in 2014. Hockenson might become a star eventually, but tight ends are slow to develop and produce as rookies, and the Lions need impact players this season. [ NFL draft live blog: Latest updates from Round 1 in Nashville ] Lions fans, grade the pick: Contact Carlos Monarrez: cmonarrez@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.<doc-sep>To call the Lions 2018 tight end group underwhelming would be an understatement. It was clear tight end was a major need for the Lions this offseason even before they moved on from starters Luke Willson and Levine Toilolo. The Lions were proactive in adding Jesse James in free agency, a blocking-first tight end with underrated pass catching consistency, as he provides the team some much-needed stability at the position. But they were still clearly lacking a pass-catching option. Roster Impact With the addition of T.J. Hockenson, the Lions add that pass catcher, but, as is to be expected with a top-10 draft pick, he brings much more to the table. Let’s take a closer look at how he impacts the Lions roster in 2019. With the Lions desire to run the ball, finding tight ends who can be impactful in the run game as well as be a threat in the passing game gives the Lions versatility. The fact that Hockenson and James can both do this will allow the Lions offense to disguise intentions without losing impactfulness. I like T.J. Hockenson A LOT. He's a ferocious blocker and has potential as an impact receiver. Here he is mauling an Indiana player. Dude is an animal and will be for the #Lions.https://t.co/p6rQuHzWUl#NFLDraft @CoachPaintCH pic.twitter.com/pWEVbCJKWR — Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) April 26, 2019 The Lions can put either or both tight ends on the field and execute both runs or passes without having to change personnel. From 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends), the Lions can keep both Hockenson and James in to block and have seven blockers clearing the way for Kerryon Johnson. Then they can keep the same 12 personnel on the field — running hurry up would add another layer — the very next play and deploy both Hockenson and James out on passing routes looking for mismatches. Advanced stuff here from TJ Hockenson… Common 3 level stretch concept getting backside over route off play action. Watch Hockenson re-stem the safety vertically rather than just running across the field!! Awesome! Step on safeties toes + force bucket step = separation!! pic.twitter.com/B4UMkezhkI — Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) April 20, 2019 2019 Draft Impact Hockenson fills two needs for the Lions — a starting tight end and a pass catcher from the slot. The latter role will lessen the need to add a wide receiver on Day 2 of the draft and now the Lions can wait on value instead of pushing the position to a higher priority. With Hockenson, James, Michael Roberts, Jerome Cunningham and Logan Thomas all in the fold, adding another tight end in the draft is likely not happening, but they could still address the position after the draft with the undrafted free agent pool of players.<doc-sep>ALLEN PARK -- The T.J. Hockenson pick might be the right one. It might be the wrong one. Nobody knows. Not yet, and not for a while. But we do know this already: His selection, by Detroit at eighth overall, won’t be a popular one. Lions fans have already seen first-round picks spent on tight ends like Brandon Pettigrew and Eric Ebron in the last decade, neither of which really worked out. The Ebron pick was especially vexing, given that stars like Taylor Lewan, Aaron Donald and Odell Beckham were taken after him. Ebron had some productive seasons in Detroit, but was always too inconsistent and too immature to put it all together before getting cut. And a year later, the Lions spend another first-round pick on another tight end? When nobody else has done it since 2006? The idea was always going to be so unpopular that GM Bob Quinn was actually asked about it at the combine. “In all due respect for our fans-- and I have a great respect for them-- I can’t really listen to all that stuff,” Quinn said. "If I listen to everything that’s out there, I’d be driving myself crazy.” Quinn was true to his word, too, selecting Hockenson despite the inevitable blowback. And the Lions even got a helping of it at their own draft party in Allen Park, with a smattering a boos rolling across the indoor practice field before eventually giving away to applause. Check it out in the clip below. While many fans haven’t warmed to Hockenson yet, coach Matt Patricia sure has. Hockenson always seemed like a Patricia kind of player, a guy who can produce in the passing game, yes, but is also relentless as a blocker. He should contribute immediately in a variety of ways. “There’s a lot of plays on tape where you’re watching this guy, and he’s blocking somebody, and all of the sudden you can’t see him anymore on the tape because he’s got his guy over on the sideline and dumping him on the bench,” Patricia said. “Just a tenacious guy, a tough guy, and a blue-collar hard-worker. That’s really what we’re all about.”<doc-sep>
National pundits couldn't reach a consensus on Detroit Lions first-round draft pick T.J. Hockenson. Hockenson's selection received marks up and down the grading scale from local and national pundits after he was taken eighth overall on Thursday at the NFL draft in Nashville, Tenn., Here's how the pick graded out: Freep's Carlos Monarrez Grade: C-minus The buzz: "Hockenson might become a star eventually, but tight ends are slow to develop and produce as rookies, and the Lions need impact players this season." CBS Sports' Pete Prisco Grade: B-minus The buzz: "He's a good player, but let's stop with all the comparisons to Rob Gronkowski. ... Can he rush the passer because the Lions can't rush the passer?" For The Win's Steven Ruiz Grade: C-minus The buzz: "Hockenson should develop into a fine tight end … just not one who really makes a difference for the Lions." WalterFootball.com Grade: C The buzz: Tight ends typically go later than anticipated, so using the eighth-overall selection on one seems questionable, especially with a stud player like Ed Oliver still on the board." Sports Illustrated's Andy Benoit Grade: A The buzz: "Hockenson might not be the next Rob Gronkowski (those would be unfair expectations to place upon any player), but like Gronk, he is both a high-level receiver and blocker. That gives the Lions schematic flexibility and helps a running game that, incredibly, has remained mostly dormant since Barry Sanders’s sudden retirement." The Ringer's Danny Kelly Grade: B The buzz: "Man, the Lions just love taking tight ends early. Hockenson becomes just the fourth player at his position to come off the board in the top 10 since the turn of the century, and just the second since 2007. The other in that stretch, of course, was Eric Ebron, whom the Lions took with the 10th pick in the 2014 draft. That didn’t work out too great for Detroit." NFL.com's Chad Reuter Grade: B-plus The buzz: "I love Hockenson as a two-way tight end prospect. He will be a strong target for Matthew Stafford and a nice blocker in the run game. But he wasn't the top player available: it was defensive tackle Ed Oliver." Chris Thomas is the sports editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at cdthomas@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @bychristhomas.