Broncos TE Butt welcomes Hockenson mocks, ‘not afraid of competition’
Mar 27, 2019, 7:54 PM | Updated: Mar 28, 2019, 8:25 am
Denver Broncos tight end Jake Butt isn’t afraid of a little competition.
So, when asked during “The Drive” on Wednesday about his thoughts of mock drafts having the Broncos selecting Iowa tight end prospect T.J. Hockenson with the 10th-overall pick in next month’s draft, the third-year pro shrugged it off, saying he enjoys the idea of adding another good player to the roster.
“Listen, I want to win at the end of the day. And I’m not afraid of competition. I think I truly believe that competition makes everybody better,” Butt said. “So, the more good players we can get in the tight end room, the more good players across the whole entire team, the better it’s going to be for our team.
“And that’s just going to equate to more wins, which, at the end of the day, that’s what this is all about.”
Hockenson, who has been championed as a can’t-miss, Travis Kelce-esque prospect by “Stokley and Zach” co-host Zach Bye in recent weeks, was mocked to the Broncos at the No. 10 draft position by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper this week.
“This dude right here is going to come in and leave an impression on some NFL offense in a way that Travis Kelce has, and I really hope that it’s the Broncos,” Bye said a few weeks ago.
The 6-foot-5 and 251-pound Hockenson not only stood out on film, Bye said, but also with his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he ran a 4.7-second 40-yard dash and finished No. 2 in his position in the vertical jump (37.5 inches), broad jump (123.0 inches), and three-cone drill (7.02 seconds).
In two seasons for the Hawkeyes, Hockenson caught 73 passes for 1,080 yards, and nine touchdowns to go with one rushing touchdown.
Hockenson and his college teammate, Noah Fant, make up two of a talented tight end class this draft season, Butt said, but if the Broncos decided to go that position, he said he’d welcome it.
“In terms of the Broncos, I just want the best player and whatever’s going to help our team win at the end of the day,” Butt said.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
