North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron wound up in the top 10 after all, going 10th to the Detroit Lions in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Ebron steps into a great situation in Detroit. He’ll be catching passes from star quarterback Matthew Stafford, and he has wide receiver Calvin Johnson consistently drawing double teams on the outside. That’s not to mention established receiver Golden Tate on the other side of Johnson and a proven playmaker in Reggie Bush in the backfield. The Lions now have an offense as explosive as the Rams teams that earned the moniker “The Greatest Show On Turf.”
The Lions have steady tight ends in Joseph Fauria and Brandon Pettigrew, but as a top-10 pick, Ebron should be able to start ahead of them from day one. The analysts on ESPN’s broadcast believe Ebron will be used almost exclusively in the slot, similar to how Jimmy Graham plays with the Saints. He’ll be rotated out for Pettigrew or Fauria in blocking situations.
Becoming the 10th pick caps a whirlwind day for Ebron. He got engaged earlier today when he proposed to his girlfriend on top of the Empire State Building.
Ebron shattered UNC school records last year by catching 62 passes for 973 yards. He also scored three touchdowns. He’s the first tight end to get selected in the top 10 since Vernon Davis in 2007.