(Editor's Note: With the offseason program in the rearview mirror, it's time to look ahead. As part of the preparation for training camp, this series will introduce 25 key players who are new to the Cowboys' roster, rookies and veterans alike. We'll continue with rookie tight end Luke Schoonmaker.)
How He Got Here: A native of New Haven, Connecticut, Schoonmaker attended Xavier High School and that might ring a few bells with fans of the Titans, considering it's where Schoonmaker was once a teammate of rookie quarterback Will Levis, but not entirely as a tight end — more on that in a moment. Schoonmaker was rated as the top player in Connecticut as a senior, going on to commit to Michigan where he caught the watchful eye of the Cowboys.
What's Next: The rookie second-round pick donned a boot on his right foot throughout OTAs and to begin minicamp as he nursed plantar fasciitis, but ditched the boot on Day 2 of mandatory minicamp and focused on catch drills with tight ends coach Lunda Wells. He is expected to be fully available to start training camp as he walks into a full-blown Big Ten battle with Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot to determine who'll truly be the successor to Dalton Schultz.
Bet You Didn't Know: Schoonmaker didn't begin his football career as a tight end. As a matter of fact, he was a quarterback in high school, but that's not all. He also took handoffs out of the backfield as a halfback at times, a three-position player who produced his way to a seat on the Wolverines roster and, ultimately, the one in Dallas.
Quotable: "I think just being able to line me up in different spots, in-line and in the slot, and just being the versatile player that I am. I think I can really add a lot to that room and to the team." - Luke Schoonmaker
