Dak Prescott on Cowboys second-year TE Jake Ferguson

[Cowboys22]

Fergy, Schoon, and Stephens with one or both of the other two on the PS is all you need. I was and still am fine with picking Schoon because they know more than I do about what the plan for the offense would be but if I’d know about Stephens beforehand, I’d probably preferred to go another route.

 

[Jumbo075]

John Stephens has been having a great camp, and the Cowboys are still high on Peyton Hendershot. We might have been better off using that second round pick on the OL. I said on draft day I didn’t like the Schoonmaker pick. However, I did want a TE but was hoping for Dalton Kincaid who went off the board right before we picked. Schoonmaker could have a tough time keeping up with Ferguson and Stephens while battling plantar fasciitis. It could only be a matter of time before he’s missing practice again. John Stephens coming out of nowhere may be causing the Cowboys to wish they had a do over in the second round.

Just give it up. The Cowboys don't draft college Offensive Guards. They either draft centers, or draft players who play Tackle in College and then move them to Guard.

The Cowboys last 6 starting offensive Guards:

• Zack Martin - played Left Tackle at Notre Dame
• Connor Williams - played Left Tackle at Texas
• Connor McGovern - played Center at Penn State
• Tyler Smith - played Left Tackle at Tulsa
• La'el Collins - played Left Tackle at LSU
• Ronald Leary - played Left Tackle at Memphis

 

[Havic]

I love ferg but he had some nagging injuries and depth is not good if he goes down and we didn’t draft schoon.

 

[Jumbo075]

Cowboys disagreed.

The Cowboys openly discussed the prospect of drafting an Olinemen when they chose to draft Mazi Smith. The discussion they had was that any Olineman they drafted would come in as a back-up player, and Mazi Smith would come in to start. That didn't magically change between the round 1 pick and the round 2 pick. Also, O'Cyrus Torrance was likely not even on their minds as a potential 2nd round pick, because the Cowboys don't draft college guards.

 

[phildadon86]

And we know for a fact that isn't true.

They wanted Kincaid. I don’t care what Jerry says. Lol. You’re gonna believe the same guy that showed his draft card to the media to prove a point?

 

[Jumbo075]

They wanted Kincaid. I don’t care what Jerry says. Lol. You’re gonna believe the same guy that showed his draft card to the media to prove a point?

Total BS. They didn't want Kincaid. He wasn't the top TE on their board. La Porta was their top TE, and they could've still drafted him in the 1st round if they wanted to draft him.

 

[phildadon86]

Total BS. They didn't want Kincaid. He wasn't the top TE on their board. La Porta was their top TE, and they could've still drafted him in the 1st round if they wanted to draft him.

So explain going for a TE in the second when there are much higher priorities

 

[dfense]

Probably use several TE packages this year. Dak's pretty accurate throwing 10 feet.

 

[stuckindc]

If Jake Ferguson continues his upward trend you have to wonder if the Cowboys aren’t starting to regret drafting Schoonmaker. With John Stephens having an impressive camp and the Cowboys still high on Peyton Hendershot they seem to have an abundance of TE’s right now. Schoonmaker could have a tough time making up any ground on those players battling plantar fasciitis.

If that happens, then you have trade bait Look for the positive

 

[McKDaddy]

If Jake Ferguson continues his upward trend you have to wonder if the Cowboys aren’t starting to regret drafting Schoonmaker. With John Stephens having an impressive camp and the Cowboys still high on Peyton Hendershot they seem to have an abundance of TE’s right now. Schoonmaker could have a tough time making up any ground on those players battling plantar fasciitis.

Yeah, but they drafted him high. He's going to make the team regardless of merit for years. At least that is how they normally handle their second round picks.

 

[USArmyVet]

Just give it up. The Cowboys don't draft college Offensive Guards. They either draft centers, or draft players who play Tackle in College and then move them to Guard.

The Cowboys last 6 starting offensive Guards:

• Zack Martin - played Left Tackle at Notre Dame
• Connor Williams - played Left Tackle at Texas
• Connor McGovern - played Center at Penn State
• Tyler Smith - played Left Tackle at Tulsa
• La'el Collins - played Left Tackle at LSU
• Ronald Leary - played Left Tackle at Memphis

....and in looking at that list, only 2 are still with the team and only 1 has had a level of success (Smith is only entering his 2nd year so we will see) so perhaps Dallas needs to reevaluate their thinking in terms of how they draft OL.

 

[stuckindc]

Both Stephens and Hendershot are not blocking TEs . . . You know this. . . Even Kincaid is in that mold

I stated Schoon will be the Most Complete TE . . . No other TE has his blocking Ability and His Receiving Skills were under utilized in college

We are blessed to have him and Fergy on the Team . . . Nothing to ***** and complain about

I like this take. If everything works out we have a nice issue with multiple top player. Let’s enjoy having a deep TE group

 

[817Gill]

The Cowboys still need TWO blocking tight ends, and Hendershot offers nothing with blocking. McKeon is not a route runner. Stephens may eventually grow into a blocker, but at this point, he's still just a receiver. Schoonmaker can both block and pass. It's still a good pick.

Beautifully described

 

[Whyjerry]

Fergy might be in for a big year. Makes the scoon pick even more head scratching.

I think you need 2 TEs. Remember when NE had Gronk and the Bristol Murderer going? I am good with the pick but it was a reach.

 

[Jumbo075]

So explain going for a TE in the second when there are much higher priorities

The Cowboys had different priorities than you. Specifically, they want to run more effectively, which meant they needed a TE that can both block and run. That’s why they didn’t want Kincaid. He’s just a receiver. They identified the TE’s that we’re good at both blocking and receiving and we’re targeting those TE’s.

The situation this year with Buffalo leapfrogging the Cowboys to get Kincaid was just like a few years back when the Eagles leapfrogged the Cowboys to get Dallas Goedert. The Cowboys were targeting Connor Williams, not Goedert, and with the poor run defense last season, this year their target was Mazi Smith. Both the Bills and Eagles jumped the Cowboys for no good reason to get players the Cowboys were not targeting. There was no remorse shown by the Cowboys’ draft room camera in either case. Rather, there was relief that the guy they wanted was there for them.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Fergy might be in for a big year. Makes the scoon pick even more head scratching.

They love two te sets. Want two studs that can block and catch.

 

[USArmyVet]

Yeah, but they drafted him high. He's going to make the team regardless of merit for years. At least that is how they normally handle their second round picks.

The concerning pattern for Dallas with the 2nd round in recent years:

2023: TE Schoonmaker- too early to tell but already a bit behind due to injury plus he will be 25 years old early in the season, and approaching 30 when his rookie deal expires.

2021: CB Kelvin Joseph- entering year 3 and while he has contributed on ST's, he still can't crack the starting line-up and there are even some whispers if he will even make the squad this season

2019: DR Trysten Hill- the knock on him was he was lazy and sadly that proved to impact his chances as he was released by the team in 2022; after a short stint with the Cardinals Hill is now with the Browns fighting for a roster spot

2018: OG Connor Williams- after 4 seasons of less-than-stellar play at LG, Williams moved on to Miami in 2022 where they placed him at C and he flourished

2017: CB Chidobie Awuzie- spent 4 seasons in Dallas with mixed results where he would sign with the Bengals in 2021 and had the best season of his career and a Super Bowl visit; he was having another good year in 2022 before a season-ending injury; Awuzie would later say about the difference between Dallas and the Bengals: "It showed me football can be played without all the lights."...in essence calling Dallas a circus based on entertainment and no substance

2016: LB Jaylon Smith- thought to be a Top 10 pick he got injured badly in college, to where some questioned his ability to play again, but that didn't stop Dallas from selecting him where he sat out his entire rookie season; he would play 2 good seasons before JJ rewarded him with a 5-year $64M deal w/$35.5M guaranteed at the start of the 2019 season; Dallas released him during the 2021 season where he is now on his 3rd team since his release

2015: DE/LB Randy Gregory- another project of JJ that saw him suspended for more games (54) than games played for Dallas (44); he capitalized on his limited play in 2021 by being gifted a contract with the Broncos in 2022

2013: TE Gavin Escobar- he played 4 meaningless seasons in Dallas before moving on to Baltimore for 2 games; he was out of the league in 2017

 

[USArmyVet]

The Cowboys had different priorities than you. Specifically, they want to run more effectively, which meant they needed a TE that can both block and run. That’s why they didn’t want Kincaid. He’s just a receiver. They identified the TE’s that we’re good at both blocking and receiving and we’re targeting those TE’s.

The situation this year with Buffalo leapfrogging the Cowboys to get Kincaid was just like a few years back when the Eagles leapfrogged the Cowboys to get Dallas Goedert. The Cowboys were targeting Connor Williams, not Goedert, and with the poor run defense last season, this year their target was Mazi Smith. Both the Bills and Eagles jumped the Cowboys for no good reason to get players the Cowboys were not targeting. There was no remorse shown by the Cowboys’ draft room camera in either case. Rather, there was relief that the guy they wanted was there for them.

While I agree that is what MM has said but in looking at what they did via free agency and the draft, they didn't really add to their OL and are banking on Pollard (coming off a bad lower leg injury) and a few 'other' guys in terms of their running game. I just think if they truly were going to be a more running game focused team they would have done more rather than trading for WR Cooks and drafting a soon to be 25-year old TE in the 2nd round.

 

[gimmesix]

John Stephens has been having a great camp, and the Cowboys are still high on Peyton Hendershot. We might have been better off using that second round pick on the OL. I said on draft day I didn’t like the Schoonmaker pick. However, I did want a TE but was hoping for Dalton Kincaid who went off the board right before we picked. Schoonmaker could have a tough time keeping up with Ferguson and Stephens while battling plantar fasciitis. It could only be a matter of time before he’s missing practice again. John Stephens coming out of nowhere may be causing the Cowboys to wish they had a do over in the second round.

If Schoonmaker ends up low man on the totem pole because he's outplayed I don't mind that. It's better than our usual strategy of having to play mediocre players because we have no one better.

 

[KJJ]

Yeah, but they drafted him high. He's going to make the team regardless of merit for years. At least that is how they normally handle their second round picks.

He could do absolutely nothing and he’s a lock to make the team. They’re not about to cut a second round pick they just drafted.