Detroit Lions players react to selection of T.J. Hockenson: ‘The squad got better tonight’

By now, we’ve heard enough reactions from fans regarding the Detroit Lions’ selection of Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson with the eighth overall pick. Now, let’s kick it over to the team themselves.

TMZ Sports ran into Hockenson at the airport, and the first-round pick said that he and Matthew Stafford have already exchanged texts, and, in fact, Stafford texted the tight end Thursday night right after he’d been drafted.

Other Lions players reached out to Hockenson via social media. Perhaps the most excitable was newly-signed receiver Danny Amendola, who claimed, “The squad got better tonight” in what appears to be a not-so-veiled sponsored post.

Other players were a little more informal, with your classic welcoming tweets:

Then there was former Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky. DanO has made a nice career for himself as a football analyst now that his playing days are over, and it’s clear he LOVES the pick:

Orlovsky hasn’t exactly been impartial to the Lions, and he clearly still has a love for the organization, but he provides an interesting comparison nonetheless.

However, Tweet of the Night goes to Lions running back Kerryon Johnson: