After a run on tight ends to start the NFL Draft on Day 2, the Cowboys were able to stay put and get a talent at the position that they're very high on — another Wolverine heading to Dallas
FRISCO, Texas — There's some Incredible Hulk-level strength landing on the Dallas Cowboys roster after the team used their pick at No. 26 in the 2023 NFL Draft to select Mazi Smith, a former Wolverine who became the country's best run-stopper under the tutelage of former NFL coach Jim Harbaugh.
It was a move that perfectly mixed BPA (Best Player Available) with need, and effectively kicked the door open for Day 2, and speculation ran rampant regarding who the pick might be — considering the need at positions like tight end and left guard (iOL).
Well, their second decision of NFL Draft weekend has been made, and here's who got the call:
Round 2, No. 58: Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan
Three things to know:
- Three-star recruit out of high school
- Hails from a family of athletes
- 2nd-most receptions on Michigan offense (35) in 2022
It was no secret the Cowboys were hunting a tight end in this year's draft to play in tandem with Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot. An early run on the position to begin the second round put them in a precarious position, but they opted to stay put at 58th-overall as opposed to moving up to grab one — choosing Schoonmaker as the man of the hour in Dallas.
Schoonmaker will be immediately reunited with defensive lineman Mazi Davis, the team's first-round pick this April, and brings an aspect of blocking to the tight end position that the Cowboys were/are looking for. Speak to Jim Harbaugh and/or anyone who watched Schoonmaker play and you'll hear tales of how effective (at times, elite) he is at his ability to help carve open run lanes for running backs.
He'll probably need to up his strength a bit to continue that trend at the NFL level.
That'll come in handy on a Cowboys team committed to keeping the rushing attack a major part of its offense going forward. Additionally, Schoonmaker can make plays as a receiver underneath and, at times, down the field but his bread-and-butter would be more toward crisp routes that put LBs at a disadvantage.
You won't mistake him for someone with a supercharger, by any means, but the quickness in his feet can create mismatches with linebackers. A two-time All-Big Ten talent, Schoonmaker brings plenty to a TE room dying for depth and a third offensive option in the wake of parting ways with Dalton Schultz.
It's debatable on if he would've been available in Round 3 or Round 4, considering the fact a handful of tight ends flew off of the board on Friday before the Cowboys went on the clock.
They chose to not risk it, and now it's a Michigan two-step in Dallas.
