Luke Schoonmaker NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Michigan TE

HEIGHT: 6'5"

WEIGHT: 251

HAND: 9"

ARM: 32 7/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.63

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: 4.27

VERTICAL: 33.5"

BROAD: 10'7"

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POSITIVES

— Tall, lean build with room to add more weight in the NFL.

— Good speed. Can be a weapon on seam routes, deep crossers and underneath crossers.

— Above-average fluidity and explosiveness for his size. Relatively easy mover.

— Above-average blocker. Highly energetic; shows quality length and strength to handle every assignment.

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NEGATIVES

— Did not show much ability to win the ball in traffic.

— Below-average play strength as a pass-catcher. Can be bullied off his routes and get hemmed up at the top of routes.

— Below-average route-runner. Lacks nuance and snappiness at the top of his routes.

— Late-bloomer with very limited production prior to senior season.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 GM, 35 REC, 418 YDS (11.9 AVG), 3 TD

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NOTES

— D.O.B: September 28, 1998

— 3-star recruit in 2018

— 21 career starts

— 2022 third-team All-Big Ten

— Missed Nebraska and Illinois games in 2022 with undisclosed injury

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OVERALL

Luke Schoonmaker is more an idea than a ready-made player, but he has all the tools to grow into a difference-maker.

Schoonmaker's size and athletic traits pop off the screen. At 6'6" and 250 pounds, Schoonmaker is a bit lean, but he has plenty of length and could add weight in the NFL, if he really needs to. Schoonmaker's size looks even scarier when he strides out in space. On seam routes, deep over routes and shallow crossers—all routes that just let him build up speed—Schoonmaker brings a scary combination of size and raw speed. He's at his best on those routes that don't ask him to settle and break, but rather let him stride out in open grass. Those movement skills carry to his ability with the ball in his hands, too. He's no George Kittle, but he has the speed and smooth change of direction to be a consistent YAC generator.

Schoonmaker also brings it as a blocker. His lean frame limits his top-end power and ability to road-grade defenders out of the way, but he's as feisty as they come and has great length, which helps make the most of his good-not-great play strength. Schoonmaker also has experience both as an in-line Y and as a wing/H tight end, though he's a little more natural as the latter.

The drawbacks with Schoonmaker all go back to his floor as a prospect. For one, Schoonmaker hardly produced until his final season at Michigan, and even then he did nothing spectacular. Part of the reason for that is his route tree is somewhat limited to those "in space" routes listed above. When Schoonmaker has to think about his route depths, settle down and burst out of his breaks, he just doesn't show the same comfort and quick-twitch. He's better at taking advantage of space rather than creating it. Additionally, Schoonmaker doesn't have the ball skills expected of a player his size. His hands and ability in traffic are fine but leave something to be desired of someone with his size and length.

Schoonmaker is an exciting draft-and-develop type, but an older one. His size, field-stretching ability and baseline blocking skills are a great foundation to try to build upon. Schoonmaker's development may take time, however, just as it did in college. He will need to improve his ability to win the ball in traffic and expand his route tree to incorporate more sharp-breaking routes. Schoonmaker would fit best in a vertical system that can also find use him as a blocker, a la Kellen Moore's offense.

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GRADE: 6.9 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 95

POSITION RANK: TE7

PRO COMPARISON: Dalton Schultz

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen