FRISCO, TEXAS — There's at least one position the Dallas Cowboys can safely walk away from in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, and it's close. That's because the post-Jason Witten era has just one year left until they find a new heir to the throne, Jake Ferguson, and use Luke Schoonmaker's premium picks.
Peyton Hendershot prepares to compete with great undrafted talent in John Stevens Jr. (returning from a season-ending injury), while Princeton Fant may end the Sean McKeon era There is no shortage of talent behind these two.
This team is young and loaded with talent at tight end, and the approach they take in the draft doesn't preclude them from finding solutions in other, more difficult areas.
In our new series, “High Low,” we'll be digging deeper into this, with each edition focusing on a different position group heading into draft week.
Odds: very low
Jake Ferguson: The only thing that can legitimately be said about Ferguson is that he has certainly arrived as the next in line for the Cowboys' tight end position. The torch was officially passed from Dalton Schultz to fellow former fourth-round pick when the Cowboys parted ways with Schultz in 2023 free agency and handed the keys to Ferguson. All he's done since then is have a breakout year that drew praise from everyone, even future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce. And the happy and scary thing is that Ferguson is just getting started.
luke schoonmaker: When Schoonmaker was taken in the second round of last year's draft, Ferguson wasn't fazed one bit and instead immediately began coaching the former Wolverine. However, battling plantar fasciitis during training camp kept Schoonmaker off the field until the start of the season, slowing his adjustment to the NFL level. He eventually looked better over time, but is currently rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery. All eyes are on him to make a big leap forward in his second year alongside Ferguson.
Peyton Hendershot: Hendershot, who showed impressive flashes as a rookie, raised eyebrows as he went from an undrafted free agent in 2022 to a talent to watch that season. But his second year in Dallas meant the Cowboys didn't plan to play him enough, didn't use a second-round pick on a tight end in 2023, and spent a long time on injured reserve. I was hit with challenges, including work. That means Hendershot, who found a way to impact the special teams game last year, will have to make every rep count going forward.
John Stevens Jr.: Demarvion's performance A standout defensive player, Stevens excelled in training camp as a rookie despite being undrafted, and was used not only as a tight end but also as a long red zone option at receiver. also showed the possibility. It'll be exciting to see how he bounces back from his ACL tear and what kind of waves he makes on this depth chart and maybe a ripple or two at receiver. It's going to be a big deal. He's definitely someone to watch.
Princeton Fant: Normally you'd see Sean McKeon's name somewhere here as it's a tradition this time of year, but McKeon has yet to be re-signed for 2024 and that's largely due to Fant's progress. be. The latter went undrafted in 2023 after spending a lot of time on the practice squad as insurance until he develops, but he also earned two promotions as a rookie. Head coach and offensive playcaller Mike McCarthy thinks there's something he likes about Fant. That includes being a run blocker who can release and catch random passes on demand. This is essentially what McKeon brings to the table.
Between Ferguson's electric play, Schoonmaker's expectations, and the exciting unknown that resides in Stevens, combined with what Hendershot and Fant can bring to the table in their respective roles, the tight end position is currently I have a very low level of concern.
The chances of the Cowboys using another pick right away are close to zero, if not actually zero.
The only thing I can foresee changing this is if Broc-… *signal goes out*…
