2nd Round Pick: Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan

[Simpleton]

It's cute that this guy gets talking points from the scouts and front office so he uses the lingo but everybody knows these guys aren't infallible and fuck shit up every year.

And he may be a weapon depending on what you define a "weapon" as. He'll never be even a Mark Andrews-caliber TE, but if you think that Dalton Schultz was a weapon then he can definitely be a weapon.

But there's almost no chance he ends up better than guys like Mayer, Kincaid and LaPorta. He might end up better than Musgrave simply because Musgrave can't stay healthy, but if health isn't an issue then Musgrave should be better as well.

 

[ZeroClub]

If you want a TE that gets Yac that's probably not going to be him. If you want a TE that gets open consistently and catches the ball, I think that could be him. I'm ok with that if he is able to stretch the defense in the process. I think the difference with him between mediocre TE and really good TE is if he is going to be able to run the seam effectively and things like that. If he can beat LBers deep, it will open things up.

Yes, that make sense to me.

I'm saying the obvious here, but the conservative nature of that Michigan offense limited what Schoonmaker was asked to do. It isn't Air Coryell in Ann Arbor. We know he tests very well as an athlete. We know that he's a good and experienced blocker, that he can catch the ball, but some of the rest is less clear.

I like that Schoonmaker was a successful QB in high school.

To me, knowing what we know now, I think the next most important thing is the extent to which Dak and his TE can develop a chemistry. For better or for worse, this whole operation flows through Dak. IMO, what Dak needs most is someone he can trust, who knows where he's supposed to be, who can get open, and who can reliably catch the ball. Someone who is bankable, reliable, even if not occasionally spectacular. Honestly, I'm not sure any of Dak's other weapons have been reliably trustworthy (including CeeDee).

It is natural that people want to compare Schoonmaker to Schultz, but to my mind, Schultz was never that "security blanket" TE. If Schoonmaker could be an athletically talented, modern day version of Jay Novacek, that's a great outcome in my book.

FWIW, Novacek was a high school QB.

 

[p1_]

It's cute that this guy gets talking points from the scouts and front office so he uses the lingo but everybody knows these guys aren't infallible and fuck shit up every year.

And he may be a weapon depending on what you define a "weapon" as. He'll never be even a Mark Andrews-caliber TE, but if you think that Dalton Schultz was a weapon then he can definitely be a weapon.

But there's almost no chance he ends up better than guys like Mayer, Kincaid and LaPorta. He might end up better than Musgrave simply because Musgrave can't stay healthy, but if health isn't an issue then Musgrave should be better as well.

All the best TEs were taken in a flurry in the second round ahead of us.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Bobby Belt thought Jason Williams was the next Patrick Willis.

I don't know that for sure but I bet he did.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

But there's almost no chance he ends up better than guys like Mayer, Kincaid and LaPorta.

Yeah, and in fairness we didn't have a shot at those 3 in the second round. Kincaid went in the first and LaPorta and Mayer went really early in the second round.

It will be interesting to see how this TE class does in the NFL. It was definitely heralded as one of the best TE classes in a long time. Like a lot of positions it's going to be a matter or opportunity and scheme. I think Dallas does a good job of helping their TE's produce. Dak loves throwing to them and the coaches love using them. So I think that Poontaker has landed in a great spot. And I personally think I like Ferguson more, but we don't really have an established starter so the opportunities are there.

Mayer with the Raiders, LaPorta with the Lions and Kincaid with the Bills. The Bills and Raiders both have semi established guys. Although Austin Hooper is new to the Raiders and a bit removed from his best seasons. LaPorta may have the best path with the Lions because of the depth chart there.

 

[Cotton]

God, Belt is such a damn homer.

 

[Simpleton]

All the best TEs were taken in a flurry in the second round ahead of us.

I know that but to pretend like Schoonmaker is some boffo can't miss prospect because the scouts told Belt what stuff like COD means is laughable.

 

[boozeman]

It's cute that this guy gets talking points from the scouts and front office so he uses the lingo but everybody knows these guys aren't infallible and fuck shit up every year.

And he may be a weapon depending on what you define a "weapon" as. He'll never be even a Mark Andrews-caliber TE, but if you think that Dalton Schultz was a weapon then he can definitely be a weapon.

But there's almost no chance he ends up better than guys like Mayer, Kincaid and LaPorta. He might end up better than Musgrave simply because Musgrave can't stay healthy, but if health isn't an issue then Musgrave should be better as well.

Man, you are getting harsher on him while I am starting to soften my stance.

 

[Simpleton]

Man, you are getting harsher on him while I am starting to soften my stance.

I mean it's pretty obvious he's never going to be an elite top tier TE, the 40 is one thing but unless he was just completely boxed in by Michigan's conservative offense it's clear as day looking at him in college that he doesn't have the run after catch ability to be one of these rare TE's in the league.

He's going to be a solid pro for a long time, I just hope he doesn't Schultz himself, which means putting up sort of inflated stats and then overvaluing what he should get on his next contract.

If he gives us 65/700/5 every year and takes an extension for like $8M/year (probably about equivalent to $6M a year right now), that'd be fine.

I don't see him being able to produce significantly more than that.

 

[boozeman]

If he gives us 65/700/5 every year and takes an extension for like $8M/year (probably about equivalent to $6M a year right now), that'd be fine.

I don't see him being able to produce significantly more than that.

Now you are being optimistic.

 

[Cotton]

Now you are being optimistic.

It's a really fine line with you, isn't it?

 

[boozeman]

It's a really fine line with you, isn't it?

I just haven't seen anything from him that suggests he can put up those kind of numbers in McCarthy's offense.

Now if Moore was still here, they could have him serve as Prescott's binky for sure and ring up the stats.

 

[bbgun]

It's a really fine line with you, isn't it?

He just needed time to navigate the five stages of grief. He is now at acceptance.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I just haven't seen anything from him that suggests he can put up those kind of numbers in McCarthy's offense.

Now if Moore was still here, they could have him serve as Prescott's binky for sure and ring up the stats.

I don't know what McCarthy offense is going to look like yet. I could be wrong but based on our additions I kind of this we are going to try to mold things a little like the 49ers. We shall see.

In Schoonmaker's defense, and I will say I still don't love the pick, Kittle didn't show a lot at Iowa. He was a mean blocker in a very run oriented offense. Kittle put up a massive 314 receiving yards his last year at Iowa. As a fan who watched every game, I didn't see coming what he became. College offenses are weird, they can really hold a pass catcher back or help a pass catcher look better than they are.

 

[ravidubey]

If McCarthy is really putting in a WCO that wants to run the football, then I guess they want mobile OG’s that can pull. That really isn’t Torrence.

You add Schoonnaker, Luepke, and a guy like Asim who you can convert to a quicker and more mobile OG you can run you get guys who are mobile in space and can run an efficient WCO running game.

In that scheme, RB’s run east-west as much or even more than north-south.

 

[boozeman]

I don't know what McCarthy offense is going to look like yet.

That is the toughest projection for me.

 

[boozeman]

This has been a lazy weekend where I got to catch up on the players we took in the draft and also signed as UDFAs.

I learned things about Mazi Smith, Overshown and Fehoko.

I see that Deuce Vaughn will take over the league.

What I did not see after taking another look at this player is anything a damn thing special.

I tried.

 

[bbgun]

What I did not see after taking another look at this player is anything a damn thing special.

I tried.

welcome back

 

[Chocolate Lab]

This has been a lazy weekend where I got to catch up on the players we took in the draft and also signed as UDFAs.

I learned things about Mazi Smith, Overshown and Fehoko.

Could you find much on Eric Scott?

 

[boozeman]

Could you find much on Eric Scott?

My priorities were not on the late round guy.

I have watched as much as I can with Schpoonermaker and I just do not see it.