Bruce Feldman NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys Replace Dalton Schultz with Darnell Washington

After former Dallas starter Dalton Schultz signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans last week, the Cowboys found themselves in need of tight end help.

Dallas could use its No. 26 pick to get that assistance in the form of Georgia's Darnell Washington, which The Athletic's Bruce Feldman predicted in his latest 2023 mock draft Friday.

"It's how well he moves that makes him so hard for the Cowboys to pass up," wrote Feldman, referencing Washington's "leaping, twisting, one-handed grab along the sidelines" at the combine as a reason he might work as a replacement for Schultz.

Washington immediately impressed onlookers at the combine with his measurements. The tight end clocked in at 6'7" and 264 pounds and boasted the longest wingspan ever recorded for an NFL tight end at 83¾ inches.

Despite his intimidating stature, the 21-year-old was surprisingly agile in completing the 20-yard shuttle in 4.08 seconds and taking just 4.64 ticks to complete the 40-yard dash.

Schultz broke out for the Cowboys in 2021 with a career-best 808 receiving yards while tying wide receiver Amari Cooper for the team lead with eight receiving touchdowns. During his three years as a regular starter in Dallas, Schultz averaged 5.7 receiving touchdowns per campaign.

Washington did not see the same offensive success at the college level. He recorded just three receiving touchdowns throughout 27 games and three seasons with Georgia.

The tight end's impressive performance at the combine, however, could help him overcome that on Day 1 of the draft.