FRISCO, Texas – Dalton Schultz is a name that two years ago, not many fans knew. Fast-forward to 2021, and his name is receiving the recognition it deserves.
In 2019, cast as a primary blocker behind Jason Witten and Blake Jarwin on the depth chart, two passes were thrown Schultz’s direction during the season. He caught one pass for six yards and ran 16 routes total. In the shadows, Schultz absorbed information from Witten, a future Hall of Famer, and waited for his number to be called.
That moment came in 2020.
Witten parted ways with the Cowboys and joined the Las Vegas Raiders. Then as fate would have it, Jarwin suffered a torn ACL in the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Schultz was given the opportunity of a lifetime and he seized it. The hard work paid off and Schultz proved himself a reliable receiving threat, despite a revolving door at quarterback following Dak Prescott’s gruesome ankle injury and a makeshift offensive line. The Stanford product caught 63 passes for 615 yards and four touchdowns. Schultz led all Cowboys in avoided tackles in 2020 as a receiver with 12 per PFF. In addition, he reached 63 receptions on the year becoming only the fourth tight end in team history to post 60-or-more receptions in a season joining Witten, Doug Cosbie, and Jay Novacek.
He continued to perfect his craft during the offseason. Schultz was invited to the first-annual Tight End University, a seminar hosted by George Kittle and Travis Kelce, aimed at helping players develop at the position around the league. He picked up invaluable lessons from the event and his self-motivated work has translated between the hash marks on Sundays.
In 2021, the Cowboys have heavily utilized 12 personnel groupings on offense (two tight ends, one running back). This creates opportunities to attack the middle of the field with a horizontal game and opens up the screen game along the boundary. This season, NFL teams have averaged 82 yards per game in 12 personnel, conversely the Cowboys have averaged 165. Having both Schulz and Jarwin on the field together creates a unique dynamic that puts stress on defenses.
“Two tight ends give you a whole lot of variety in terms of what you can do offensively,” Cowboys’ tight end coach Lunda Wells described. “I really believe that two tight end sets put a strain on the defensive coordinator and makes him really have to work his call sheet and you just can’t play for the pass. You can run the ball in two tight end sets. You can spread them out and pass it. You just have so much flexibility as a play-caller.”
Schultz’s run blocking and pass protection continue to be an integral part in helping the Cowboys combat the team’s opponent, but his route running has become a point of emphasis.
“The more you play in the pass game, the more you have a good feel for in terms of how our routes, and how our cuts fit against certain schemes,” Lunda Wells told D210SPORTS. “I think this year, he really understands how our cuts fit against different pass coverages that the defense is giving us, and he is doing a nice job of finding nice spots in zones and then even in man, he has gotten better in terms of his releases—getting on edges on guys and playing with speed and playing decisive.”
Schultz has continuously showcased short-area burst, creating space as a route runner to move the chains and sustain drives. He is quickly able to get north and south after catching the ball, punishing defensive backs and linebackers trying to tackle him. Evading defenders to accumulate yards is his specialty. An element that the staff continues to prioritize with tight ends.
“It is something that we drill every day in terms of getting yards after catch and becoming a runner,” Wells said. “I do think that RAC (run after catch) for a lot of guys is a learned trait, so you have to really work at it and be intentional with your work with it. He has done a nice job of that…you naturally don’t run with the ball in your hands so developing that trait, in terms of running with the ball in your hand, make sure you still have good ball security and be a natural runner. Make guys miss…at that position it’s something that you really have to emphasize and really have to train.”
Whether it is his savviness in the passing game or creating lanes for his teammates by extending blocks in both run support/ pass protection, Schultz’s production has garnered praise. He continues to build his sensational 2021 campaign, recording 31 receptions for 359 yards, an 11.6 average per catch, and three touchdowns. This is a contract year for Schultz, a 2018 fourth-round selection, but a reality he pays no attention to. Schultz stressed that he does not consider himself to be atop the hierarchy at the position and never will. Bettering his game daily takes precedence over outside noise.
“As soon as I consider myself up there, I’m going to retire,” Schultz remarked. “I’m always trying to find somebody to chase, find something to chase. As soon as I get comfortable with putting my name in stuff like that, I need to rethink what I’m doing. I’m always trying to get better.”
His play speaks for itself, and Schultz’s name is now held in high esteem around the league as a result. He has become not only a go-to target for Dak Prescott on third down, but a lethal weapon in Kellen Moore’s arsenal.
