The Dallas Cowboys either resisted temptation, or pivoted very quickly, in the first round last night. They might have bluffed the entire world into thinking they would draft a tight end, or Buffalo saved them from themselves. Dallas followed up the pick of Mighican’s Mazi Smith last night by landing their tight end.
With the 58th overall pick, the Cowboys selected Luke Schoonmaker, Smith’s teammate in Michigan. Dalton Kincaid, Michael Mayer and Darnell Washington drew most of the attention at tight end. But clearly, the Cowboys liked what they saw from Schoonmaker.
Tale Of The Tape
Schoonmaker missed two games in 2022 but still put up 418 yards on 35 catches and three touchdowns for the Wolverines. He compares more closely with Buffalo’s Dawson Knox and expect him to play a big role in the passing game immediately.
But his greater role for Dallas in the immediate future will come in the run game. He’ll need to add some bulk to deal with defensive lineman at the NFL level. But he has solid footwork and can sustain blocks for the Cowboys’ running backs.
Schoonmaker was projected to be a 2nd-or-3rd round pick, so Dallas did not reach to get him. Many in Cowboys fandom last night wanted Kincaid or Mayer. But they should be happy with Schoonmaker.
One downside is Schoonmaker’s age. At 25 years old he will be an “old” rookie. If he does have a career in Dallas beyond his first contract, it will not be nearly as long as the rest of his rookie class.
Wolverines South
The Eagles’ first two picks both came from Georgia. Dallas’ first two came from Michigan. There must be something in the water. But both teams have filled big needs so we’ll allow it. It will be interesting to go back – after this draft is over – and see when, or if, that has happened before.
Who Was Passed Over
If Dallas was laser-focused on taking a tight end in the second round, it is something of a surprise that they passed over Georgia’s Darnell Washington. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News may have shed some light on why they passed him over. According to Moore, Wallace was never considered and had a medical red flag on him as far as the Cowboys were concerned.
Dallas might have had a more pressing need on the offensive line than at tight end and missed a chance to fill it. The Bills, with the very next pick, selected Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence. The Gators’ guard had been a projected first round pick of the Cowboys.
So far, the Cowboys seem to have a solid plan in place. We’ll see who they select in the third round later tonight. For now, its hard to argue against this pick too much.
What to Expect In The Third Round
In this draft? That’s a loaded question. We’ve seen a ton of trades already. So far Dallas has stayed off of the trade carousel.
I would almost expect the Cowboys will address the offensive line in the third round tonight with an outside chance for them to land a defensive back.
