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Dissecting 5 TE prospects who fit the Cowboys on each day of the draft - Cowboys Wire

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Given their recent high-caliber acquisitions at several positions of need, it’s clear Dallas has decided that now is the time to act. Though other roster holes have been filled, tight end remains unaccounted for after the departure of Dalton Schultz in free agency. With Schultz finding a new home in Houston, second-year man Jake Ferguson is now at the top of the Cowboys’ depth chart. Ferguson looked promising in minimal snaps, catching the eye of All-Pro Travis Kelce. Ferguson is not alone, however, as fellow rookie Peyton Hendershot and four-year veteran Sean McKeon back him up and provide solid versatility.

While there is a lot to like about this tight end room, it is a tame group with no real standout or elite traits. Ferguson and Hendershot have shown fantastic promise as receivers but lack pedigree and ideal inline blocking ability.  McKeon is a good blocker but lacks receiving prowess. Adding a superior athlete or a stronger blocker would do wonders and, luckily for Dallas, this draft class is loaded with talent. Here are five prospects who could fill this role available at various points on draft weekend.

Darnell Washington, 6-foot-7, 264 pounds, Georgia

Darnell Washington was a once top-25 recruit who saw his playing time diminish when phenom Brock Bowers came to Athens. He decided to stay put with the Bulldogs and although his production was minuscule, he showed enough to intrigue scouts and fans alike. This hype escalated at the combine where he drew comparisons to a young Jason Witten with eerily similar size and athletic testing numbers.

For his size, Washington is surprisingly nimble. He won’t shake defenders out of their shoes but can make guys miss with savvy cuts or simply run them over. His route running is a tick sluggish as he is a long strider downfield but he possesses elite agility for his size, running a top-5 all time 20-yard shuttle in combine history for tight ends at 4.08 seconds.

He is a versatile receiver as he can be a safety blanket underneath or use his physical traits downfield to win at the catch point while a huge catch radius allows him to bring in some crazy catches.

Washington’s best trait, however, is his blocking. His technique can be inconsistent but when he gets his hands on defender’s chests and sets his feet, his inline ability is easily the best in this class. Given his natural size and strength, he is a rare breed who could be seen as a sixth offensive lineman.

Washington is the premier tight end to give Dallas a different option offensively. Using Washington as an inline blocker and developing his receiving while Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot can get flexed out is as ideal as it can get for how Dallas operated in the past under Kellen Moore. What matters though is how the club feels he’d fit under Mike McCarthy’s scheme.

Some may scrutinize selecting a blocking tight end in the first round but Washington’s athleticism and receiving upside would make the pick well worth it.

Tucker Kraft, 6-foot-5, 254 pounds, South Dakota State

Tucker Kraft has garnered the obvious comparisons to fellow Jackrabbit Alum, Dallas Goedert, but the resemblances are uncanny. They are almost identical twins from a physical and athletic perspective.

Their play styles are also eerily similar.

Kraft combines a well-built frame with reliable hands and good speed, although with a severely underdeveloped route tree. After the catch, he is an absolute piece of work to bring down. He showcases high-level contact balance and the ability to churn his legs through tackles with good power. This power also translates into blocking as his hands and legs are strong and sturdy. He lacks technique as a blocker but his strength often makes up for poor hand placement and an uneven base.

As both a receiver and blocker he lacks nuanced technique which comes from his minimal experience and lack of high-end competition at South Dakota State. The ceiling for Kraft is extremely high but it will take a year or two for him to adjust to the NFL and flesh out the intricacies of the position.

If his route running and blocking technique can be developed, Kraft has the athleticism and skillset to take a leap as a true TE1.

Luke Schoonmaker, 6-foot-5, 251 pounds, Michigan

Luke Schoonmaker hails from the same hometown as yours truly and watching him live at just 16 years old convinced me he was able to make it at the NFL level. He was a 3-star recruit who also played baseball as well as multiple positions on the football field including QB and WR. He was able to fully show his athleticism at Michigan as he was used as a versatile chess piece on offense.

Schoonmaker was used as a blocker,  and often as the lead guy receivers, running backs and even the quarterback would follow. He developed a very good understanding of who to block and where to block as the play develops.

He was rarely asked to block inline on an edge defender but he can throw in a chip or two when asked. As a receiver, Michigan liked to use his ability after the catch and his overall athleticism to shake defenders in the open field or beat larger defenders downfield. Schoonmaker can play with a bit too much finesse at times as he lacks the physicality to box out smaller defenders or compete in traffic.

Schoonmaker is very good at what he was asked to do but at the next level those responsibilities will change. His flaws can be corrected and developed as his upside as both a receiver and blocker are quite high. Schoonmaker could slide into Dallas as an heir to McKeon with the responsibilities of a primary blocker but also be given reps as a receiver along with Ferguson and Hendershot, creating a diverse trio.

Brenton Strange, 6-foot-4, 253 pounds, Penn State

Brenton Strange is one of the more overlooked prospects in this class as he hasn’t shown the receiving prowess or elite athleticism as some of his peers. Strange isversatile and the type of player NFL teams covet. He can block both inline and as a move TE, as well as be an effective piece in the passing game. Penn State lined him up inline, in the slot or as an H-back.

Strange was seldom used but showed to be an effective receiver. He consistently finds soft spots in coverage and can separate from defenders even without high-end athleticism. After the catch he lacks elite wiggle but is extremely hard to take down in the open field as he runs hard. Strange has shown the capability to receive from any position but also be a lead, inline or even a move blocker. He is willing to take on any defender and attacks with good power and pad level.

Arguably the second-best blocker in this class behind Washington, Strange can find a home on an NFL roster for as long as he wants one. With the finesse of Ferguson and Hendershot, Strange would bring a real grit-and-grind addition. There are inconsistencies in his game that will need to be ironed out but Strange has the skillset to be a high-quality rotational piece for the short and long term.

Davis Allen, 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, Clemson

In four seasons as a Tiger, Allen has been a consistent performer. He provides his QB a large and long target while offering some blocking ability. Noted by NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein as a “human vacuum”, Allen has some of the most reliable hands in this class.

Allen showcased this at the combine, looking extraordinarily comfortable during drills. He has a large catch radius and adjusts very well downfield. Although he has elite ball skills, his lack of elite athleticism shows in his lethargic route running and movement after the catch.

He also struggles in contested situations but makes up for this by consistently finding soft spots in coverage. As a blocker he struggles to overwhelm larger defenders, getting moved off his spot but he did flash very good technique. If he can put on some mass to gain play strength his blocking has serious potential.

With such a stacked tight end class, it is easy to overlook someone like Allen. However, his skillset and high-floor make him a great option to add to any tight end room across the league. Having such reliable hands and ball skills while also being able to block relatively well are massive bonuses, even without the preferred athleticism. Dallas could make great use of Allen as a tandem with the young guns as they all develop together over the next 3-4 years.

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