At some point, a tight end’s ability to block became a luxury rather than a necessity. Teams were looking for flex tight ends like Zach Ertz, who were more like big receivers, and accepted that they were liabilities in the run game. What teams valued in tight ends shifted, but the world got a reminder of how impactful a complete tight end could be in last year’s playoffs when Rob Gronkowski, who just retired this offseason, dominated the edge as a run blocker for the Patriots on their road to a championship.



Last year, the world was also introduced to George Kittle, who broke the tight end receiving record in his second season in the NFL. Kittle’s ability to run after the catch made highlight reels, but his elite blocking ability was pivotal for the 49ers strong running attack. Iowa’s T.J. Hockenson, who was selected at No. 8 overall by the Detroit Lions, isn’t quite the athlete that Gronkowski was and Kittle is, but he could be just as good of a...