Typically, only a handful of teams have to replace an All-American tight end the next college football season. The Iowa football team, however, is possibly facing the unprecedented challenge of replacing two All-American tight ends in the 2019 college football season.
As it stands today, junior tight end Noah Fant has already declared for the NFL Draft and has forgone his remaining eligibility (including the Outback Bowl) to prepare. TJ Hockenson, meanwhile, is still pondering over the decision, but to be honest, I would be surprised if he returns. The redshirt sophomore is coming off one of the most impressive seasons for a tight end in Iowa football history and his stock is unlikely to climb much more than it already has (he’s projected to be a second round draft pick).