When the Detroit Lions drafted Eric Ebron in 2014, they did so with the idea he would be a solid contributor for their offense. They needed to get some added weaponry for QB Matthew Stafford. At the time, the only weapon they had was Calvin Johnson. Now Ebron is expecting big things from himself. We spotlight him here.
Ebron was the 10th overall pick for the Lions back in 2014. He was, at the time, compared to TE Vernon Davis. He has very good hands and can catch the ball within a wide radius. He is a severe mismatch in man coverages. He is no match for a linebacker. He eats them up over the middle. He has great feet when it comes to blocking and positions himself well.
Eric Ebron is only 24-years-old. When he came into the league, he was only 21. He will be entering his fourth year in the league. It is time for him to start making a name for himself. It is time for him to become the player that the Detroit Lions drafted him to be.
Now, I am not saying that Ebron will have a breakout season. What I am saying is that he needs to be more of an asset to the Lions offense. 2016 was his best season to date. He caught 72% of his passes. However, he only averaged 55 yards per game and had one TD. Those numbers need to improve for Eric Ebron in 2017.
The TDs especially need to improve. At 6’4”, 250lbs Ebron should be a solid red zone target for Stafford and the offense. That seems not to be the case. With a career seven TDs through three seasons, Ebron needs to be more score effective. Maybe he needs to draft himself in his fantasy leagues for some incentive.
Eric Ebron can be one of the better receiving tight ends in the league. Nevertheless, he is not. Not at this point in his career anyway. The Detroit Lions can and should get him more involved in their offense. This would help more than Matt Stafford. It would help them towards a division title.
Editor’s Note: This article can also be seen in our upcoming NFL Preview Edition.