Cowboys New Name Rising: TE Luke Musgrave Instant Starter via NFL Draft?

Nearing the first round of the NFL Draft, can the Dallas Cowboys expect a first-round tight end to replace Dalton Schultz immediately?

Author:
Isaiah DeAnda Delgado
Publish date:
Apr 27, 2023 7:02 AM EDT

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Dallas Cowboys

The NFL Draft is nearly upon us, and good intel has the Dallas Cowboys wishing to selecting a tight end to replace veteran Dalton Schultz's production. ... which brings us to two issues.

One, there is new buzz that tells us we'd better include 6-5 Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave on Dallas' "maybe list'' with pick No. 26 in this draft; credit to media scout Daniel Jeremiah for being the first to suggest a connection that we believe to be real.

And two, history says a rookie tight end may need to allowed some room to grow before being a starter and major contributor.

Since 2000, 25 tight ends have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. While some have become Pro Bowlers and All-Pros over the duration of their careers, most of the tight ends have been underwhelming in their rookie seasons.

The Atlanta Falcons' Kyle Pitts in 2021 and the New York Giants' Jeremy Shockey in 2002 are the only tight ends from that bunch of 25 to have made the Pro Bowl as rookies.

Can this year's draft class change that? Many have thought that there are three tight ends who will be selected in the first round: Notre Dame's Michael Mayer, Utah's Dalton Kincaid and Georgia's Darnell Washington. That would be rare enough; if that happens, this class will join the 2002 and 2017 draft classes as the only ones since the turn of the century to have three tight ends selected in Round 1 - and again, Musgrave (6-6, 253, 4.6 40) could represent a fourth guy this year.

Musgrave is not a name that Dallas has talked much about ... and maybe that's on purpose. But he fits nicely the mold that coach Mike McCarthy has talked about, and he fits into what a source tells CowboysSI.com about Dallas wanting to "find a Kelce.''

Last season Schultz had 57 receptions for 577 yards and five touchdowns for Dallas. That seemingly modest stat line is actually above the average seasons recorded by first-round rookie tight ends since 2000.

A look at the combined rookie season averages of the 25 drafted tight ends in the last 22 years does not impress. Those numbers: 32.9 receptions, 372.9 receiving yards, and 2.3 touchdowns.

There is good news, as 15 out of the 25 tight ends would make at least one Pro Bowl during their career. Still, the overall lackluster production out of rookie tight ends historically suggests that a) the Cowboys - who are very desirous at finding a tight end in this draft - should not force it, and b) if a Schultz replacement is drafted in the first round ... patience will need to be a virtue.