5 things to know about Cowboys TE Luke Schoonmaker
For the second time in as many days, the Cowboys threw a curveball to their fans and media when they made their pick. With Darnell Washington and Tucker Kraft still on the tight end board, Dallas opted for Door No. 3 instead, selecting Luke Schoonmaker at No. 58. The Wolverine product was the fourth of five tight ends taken in the second round.
Schoonmaker, largely used as a run blocker in Michigan’s run-heavy offense, was a surprise pick to many. He didn’t have the flashy upside of others but he had polish that makes him a factor on Day 1. Here are some interesting things to know about the newest Cowboy.
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Background details
Schoonmaker hails from Connecticut, where he was a former quarterback to begin his high school career. He changed positions to tight end, however, because there was a better player at that position. Schoonmaker was classmates with Kentucky Wildcat and now Tennessee Titan Will Levis.
Schoonmaker is a fifth-year player and will turn 25 this season, making him one of the oldest in the class. In fact, he’s three months older than last season’s rookie pick Ferguson. While age may turn some off, it’s seen as an attractive trait in the tight end room. The Cowboys want maturity and reliability to add to their young stable of tight ends.
He re-joins former Wolverine teammate Sean McKeon in the tight end group.
Perfect Traits
After the pick, Lunda Wells spoke to The Draft Show about Schoonmaker’s ability to help in all three phases. While he’s most experienced in run blocking, Wells spoke of his pass protection and pass catching as equal traits.
Luke Schoonmaker was drafted with pick 58 of round 2 in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.86 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 16 out of 1105 TE from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/Ml2B0eOGKS pic.twitter.com/ItzfUA2Sa2
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 29, 2023
At 6-foot-5, 251 pounds, Schoonmaker fits the prototype. His 10.07″ broad jump (95th percentile), 4.63 second 40-time, 1.59 second 10-yard split and 6.81 second 3-cone are at elite levels. His stats don’t back up his athletic numbers but that’s a product of usage rather than ability.
Elite Blocker
Schoonmaker is regarded as one of the best run blockers in the class. He’s strong, but more importantly, willing to do all the dirty work. Schultz’s willingness appeared to fade as his tenure with the Cowboys progressed and it had an impact on the running game.
Dallas clearly wanted to fix that.
Michigan’s pro-style offense demands many of the same responsibilities from their tight ends that the Cowboys will demand. He knows how to work inline and work with his tackles to effectively handle blocking assignments.
He fills a need
As expected, Schultz left Dallas in free agency this past offseason, opening a specific need on the Cowboys offense. Ferguson is a well-rounded player but not the blocker Schoonmaker is. Hendershot is primarily a pass-catcher and not much of a blocking option at all.
Schoonmaker is someone who can immediately slide into the inline role as a rookie. In his 526 snaps, only 30 were in the slot.
Pass-catching mystery
While Schoonmaker showed skill and efficiency catching the ball, he’s largely untested. He prefers to run crossing routes because he can help his quarterback and utilize his speed after the catch.
Over the past two seasons, he only has four receptions over 25-yards. He may never be field stretcher but he has size, speed and athletic ability to develop as a pass-catcher.
