2018 NFL Draft: Is FCS star Dallas Goedert worth reaching for?
By Jacob Wilson
South Dakota State’s Dallas Goedert has proven himself to be elite at his level, but will he have what it takes to keep up with the best of the best following the 2018 NFL Draft?
Dallas Goedert committed to South Dakota State out of in-state Britton-Hecla High School. Goedert contributed immediately, pulling in eight passes for 100 yards as a redshirt freshman. He would follow up with 26 receptions for 484 yards and three touchdowns in his sophomore year, opening even more eyes to his potential as an elite tight end.
While his first two seasons were impressive, it’s what Goedert accomplished in his last two seasons as a Jackrabbit that really got the attention of scouts on a national level. In 2016, his junior year, Goedert recorded 92 receptions for a whopping 1,293 yards and 11 scores. Goedert would take a step back later, but still reeled in 72 catches for 1,111 yards and seven touchdowns.
Strengths
Similar to Adam Shaheen of the Chicago Bears, Goedert’s stats will be chalked up to poor competition by skeptics, but his tape displays powerful hands that care little for the level of competition. Goedert also has the kind of size you’d like to see from a tight end, coming in at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds.
While he has drawn many comparisons to Shaheen in terms of their respective backgrounds, Goedert most reminds me of Philadelphia’s Trey Burton. Burton has very solid hands and is a decent route runner who struggles at times when blocking. However, both Goedert and Burton are able to mask their blocking woes thanks to above average receiving skills.
Weaknesses
As previously alluded to, Goedert’s biggest weakness is blocking. While he certainly has the size and strength to be a successful blocker, South Dakota State likely viewed his receiving skills as more valuable to the team, thus limiting the amount of time dedicated to blocking. If this is the case, the right NFL coach could probably transform Goedert into quite the all-around tight end.
Additionally, Goedert doesn’t offer much to write home about in terms of his vision with the ball in his hands, but that isn’t always necessary for a tight end with Goedert’s hands. For example, Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys has lost much of his touch when it comes to making defenders miss or lowering the shoulder, but he makes up for that in smart route-running and strong hands.
Next: Latest 2018 NFL Mock Draft entering the NFL Combine
Draft Expectations
Goedert has what it takes to be an all-round tight end at the NFL level, but it’s unclear just how well his success will translate to the NFL level. However, a team in need of a tight end could certainly reach into the earlier rounds for him should a few others at the position go off the board early.