Dallas Cowboys breakout star is shedding draft bust status

Luke Schoonmaker is proving the Dallas Cowboys knew what they were doing when they selected him in the second round one year ago.

Randy Gurzi | 20 Hours Ago

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver tight end Luke Schoonmaker / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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The Dallas Cowboys have had some impressive draft hauls as of late but the 2023 class left a lot to be desired.

Their top two picks, who were both from Michigan, were less than impressive as rookies. Defensive tackle Mazi Smith looked nothing like a first-round pick as he had just 13 tackles and was a non-factor against the run.

His former collegiate teammate, Luke Schoonmaker, finished with 15 receptions for 65 yards. He looked nothing like the pass-catching threat he was for the Wolverines.

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For the first couple of months of this season, they both remained on that trajectory. Then, the light bulb came on for them both. Smith is suddenly putting together some solid performances which has earned him a lot of praise. As for Schoonmaker, he's been asked to step into a starting role with Jake Ferguson sidelined due to a concussion.

Not only has he filled in for Ferguson, but he's been one of the more reliable tight ends in the NFL oevr the past three weeks. He's 7th among tight ends in receiving yards and first with four contested catches.

#Cowboys Luke Schoonmaker since Week 11 among all tight ends per PFF (min 20% of snaps):

• 144 receiving yards (7th)
• 72.8 receiving grade (13th)
• 4 contested catches (1st)
• 118.5 rating when targeted (13th)

Things are trending up for Schoon 🤟#DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/9RA72bCkSL
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) December 3, 2024

Schoonmaker has 22 receptions for 200 yards with one touchdown. His ability to make plays in a crowd has been huge for Dallas, especially with Cooper Rush filling in for Dak Prescott.

Dallas hasn't been able to deliver the long ball with ease, so they need all the help they can get when it comes to moving the chains. Schoonmaker has been doing that, and he's shedding the dreaded bust label in the process.