The Dallas Cowboys have found their Dalton Schultz replacement in Luke Schoonmaker, and fans can't help but compare the similarities between the two.
Dallas took the Michigan tight end with the 58th overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft, filling the roster void they have after Schultz departed for the Houston Texans in the offseason.
The Cowboys failed to grab a TE in the first round, instead opting to take defensive tackle Mazi Smith with the 26th overall pick. Fortunately, Smith's Michigan teammate Schoonmaker was still available when they were picking late in the second round.
As mentioned, Luke Schoonmaker is expected to slot into Dalton Schultz's role with the Cowboys as tight end alongside Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot. Schoonmaker certainly has the opportunity to become TE1 for Dallas as well, especially if he improves his pass-catching ability.
Several fans loved the Schoonmaker pick, with many saying he's really similar to Schultz. His pro comparison has been Schultz as well, so the Cowboys faithful think it's a great move for the team.
“Luke Schoonmaker fits the Cowboys mold at tight end. He has a very similar body type to Schultz,” one fan said.
“Cowboys fans, Luke Schoonmaker is the IDEAL Dalton Schultz replacement!” another supporter said while quoting a Schoonmaker statement where he said, ‘I'm a playmaker with the ball in my hands. When I catch the ball, I don’t expect to get tackled by one defender. I’m trying to score.'
A third commenter said, “Luke Schoonmaker is the most Dalton Schultz tight end in this class.”
Schoonmaker is a solid run-blocker who possesses good speed and movement for his size. Depending on how the Cowboys utilize him, he could very well fill in the void that Schultz left.