The Detroit Lions spent a lot of time looking at tight ends during the lead-up to the 2025 NFL Draft. Ultimately, they never picked one, but all the guys they looked at did have something in common. They were all really good at run blocking.
Sam LaPorta is a really good pass-catching tight end, and he's solid at pass blocking, too, but one of his struggles has been run blocking. Don't get me wrong, there are some moments where he can be really good at it, but the consistency is not there.
Brock Wright really struggles in that department, Shane Zylstra is more of a pass-catching guy than anything, and Kenny Yeboah just doesn't have a ton of experience at it in the NFL.
Enter former Indiana tight end Zach Horton. The Lions signed him as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL Draft, and he brings solid run blocking to the table.
Horton had 369 run blocking snaps for the Hooisers in 2024 and and he handled them really well. Pro Football Focus gave him a 66.3 run blocking grade for the season. That's the lowest of his career. He's typically been 68 or higher.
Enough of the numbers, though. Look at what he does on the field. This is a good one. You'll see Horton lined up on the top of your screen to the left of the left tackle. Watch how he just moves Maryland's No. 44 right out of the way and creates the hole for Justice Ellison to run through and get the touchdown. That's the kind of thing he can bring.
If there's any position on this team that's sort of wide open right now, it's this one. Outside of LaPorta, I don't know if any of these guys can really stake their claim and be guaranteed a spot. That could open the opportunity up for Horton.
We'll see what happens this summer, but keep an eye on this guy.
More must-reads: