Tight End TJ Hockenson Meant to Be a Minnesota Viking

Tall and angular he looks the part of a Norse Viking with a Norse name

When TJ Hokenson declared for the 2019 draft, I wanted the Minnesota Vikings to draft him. Other analysts much more knowledgeable than me thought the same: Why the Vikings should draft T.J. Hockenson in the first round (thevikingage.com). As it turned out, he went Round 1/Pick 8 by Detroit before the Vikings had a chance to call his name. I grew up in Story City, Iowa, so I am partial to players who come from small towns in the state and go to college in their home state. He was born in Cherokee and played at Chariton before going on to the University of Iowa (2016-2018). Detroit traded him to Minnesota on 11/1/2022  and TJ Hockenson proves to be an impact player right away (msn.com).

The last name connotes royalty in that Haakon VII was the King of Norway from November 1905 until his death in September 1957 and now Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway is the heir to the Norwegian throne. He is the only son of King Harald V and Queen Sonja.