Dalton Schultz to Stanford: Cardinal Land 4-Star TE Prospect

Dalton Schultz is heading to the Stanford Cardinal. The talented tight end was recruited by several schools before ultimately deciding to play college football in the Pac-12, where he should get a chance to shine in the near future.

Schultz confirmed the news himself on Twitter:

He even created a video on his decision:

Schultz is the top-rated tight end in the 2014 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also placed as the No. 2 prospect coming out of the state of Utah and ranks just outside the top 100 nationally when including players from all positions.

The most intriguing aspect about the Bingham High School product is his combination of size and athleticism. 247Sports lists him at 6'5'' and 215 pounds before even reaching the collegiate level, and he should continue to grow into that frame.

When you combine that type of size with short-line quickness and playmaking ability, the result is a prototypical tight end in today's game. Somebody who can put pressure on defenses by controlling the middle of the field.

The other area where Schultz has shown promise is blocking. He's done a nice job of setting the edge and using his size to overpower smaller defenders, but will face tougher tests at the next level, and it could take some time for him to adapt.

He still stands to learn the finer points of the position, especially things like route running and how to read coverages to know when he'll be a hot read against pressure. But those are areas of the game where understanding comes with experience.

Exactly when he'll start gaining that experience is unclear. He's talented enough to step right into the offensive rotation, but the amount of playing time he gets likely depends on how he much he can impress the coaching staff leading up to next season.

That said, he's got plenty of upside and whether he steps right into a role within the offense or takes a year before he carves out a niche, Schultz has all the tools to become a major asset.

Only time will tell if he lives up to the hype.