Cowboys Will Say A Lot About Luke Schoonmaker Hype Train in 2026 Draft

The Dallas Cowboys plan to focus on continuing their defensive rebuild in the 2026 NFL Draft, but there have been some rumblings about potentially adding some offensive playmakers.

While wide receiver and running back have been points of interest, there has also been speculation about the team's willingness to add a tight end. Dallas currently has a deep tight end room, but the list of Top 30 and Dallas Day visits does point towards interest in the position.

The Cowboys hosted versatile Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers on a pre-draft visit and showed a lot of interest in Baylor tight end Michael Trigg, who is known for his "go-go-gadget arms" during his Pro Day, which leads to the question: Is the team's belief in former second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker legit?

Dallas has continuously hyped Schoonmaker throughout the start of his career, but he has yet to make any major impact on the field. That's why the team's approach to the draft will tell Cowboys Nation a lot about what the team really thinks and whether Schoonmaker could be a part of the Cowboys' future plans.

Is the Luke Schoonmaker Hype Real?

The #DallasCowboys' coaching staff has been hyping up Luke Schoonmaker's progress last year this offseason... @1053SS, @rjchoppy and @BobbyBeltTX react⤵️ pic.twitter.com/MJIMC8DhHv
— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) April 9, 2026

On the surface, the Cowboys coaching staff has been hyping Schoonmaker, but not everyone is buying in. Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan shared his thoughts on the Schoonmaker hype train recently, classifying it as "brainwashing" because of the constant praise.

"Schotty, a couple of weeks ago, said something to the effect of, they need to look like Luke Schoonmaker. Come in prepared to work, and then take a step up," Belt said. "I was talking to somebody the other day, and they were like, yeah, they really feel like Luke Schoonmaker's progressed, and I'm like, what is this brainwashing you all are trying to do?"

Schoonmaker sits behind Pro Bowler Jake Ferguson on the depth chart, and the team also has promising young tight ends Brevyn Spann-Ford and Princeton Fant, who have fascinating physical attributes.

Is it possible that the "brainwashing" is the team's way to paint a positive public perception of Schoonmaker to bait a team into making a call about a potential trade?

Dallas Cowboys tight end Luke Schoonmaker after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

It currently looks like Schoonmaker could be fighting for a roster spot this summer, so if that's what the team is doing, it is some major 4-D chess. Of course, we will learn a lot more in the 2026 NFL Draft.

If the Cowboys go out and add another young talent to the tight end room, it says all we need to know about how the team truly feels. We'll have our answers in just over one week.

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