NFL Season Preview: Eric Ebron

Leading up to the NFL season, Keeping it Heel will be giving a season preview for some of the Heels in the Pro’s.

In our previous installment, we talked about former UNC running back Giovanni Bernard, and you can view that article by clicking on this link!

For this article, we’ll tell you what you can expect from Detroit Lions TE Eric Ebron.

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Eric Ebron was drafted 10th overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2014 NFL Draft. Ebron attended UNC from 2011-2013, and was very successful in his time at Chapel Hill.

As a junior, he had 62 receptions for 973 yards, and three TD’s. That was good enough for him to earn first team All-ACC honors.

In his rookie year with the Lions, Eric Ebron was not able to put up those kind of stats. Last year, he ended the season with only 25 receptions, and a total of 248 yards. His lone touchdown of the season came in Week 4 against the New York Jets.

Some fans are already jumping to the conclusion that Ebron is a bust. Despite the harsh criticism so early into his career, he is not worried.

"“It is what it is,” Eric Ebron told MLive.com. “It’s one year. You can claim what you want to claim. Your opinions and your statements don’t mean anything to me.” (quote from CBS sports)"

It’s good to see Eric Ebron is still confident in his abilities. We all saw what he is capable of while at UNC, but the question remains: Can he translate to the NFL?

Yes, of course he can. To say he can’t is just a premature statement at this point.

One of the new trends in the NFL is having an athletic TE that can catch passes. For example: Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, Greg Olsen, Julius Thomas, etc. Eric Ebron is not in that category just yet, but he certainly has the potential.

Ebron has the body frame you want a TE to have. He is 6 foot 4, weighing 265 pounds. With that body frame he has some athleticism to go with it. Here are some of Ebron’s best highlights from college:

According to ESPN Fantasy Football’s season projections, Ebron is supposed to have a bounce back season. His stats are projected to double this upcoming year. He is predicted to have 53 receptions, 590 receiving yards and four TD’s.

49ers TE Vernon Davis struggled his rookie year too. Davis only had 20 catches for 265 yards, which is worse than Ebron’s rookie season. The next year Vernon Davis doubled his stats, and has been a huge part of the 49ers success ever since.

Tight ends tend to grow in their sophomore year in the NFL. If Eric Ebron can gain the trust of QB Matthew Stafford, you can expect Ebron to have more success.

This year could end up being a make-or-break type of year for him. The Detroit Lions drafted him to be a star TE, and Ebron needs to prove he is capable of being a go-to option for Stafford.

For Eric Ebron, doubling his stats from last year is the best case scenario. Don’t expect a break out season from him, but you can expect him to improve this upcoming season.

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