From walk-on to partial scholarship to potential top tight end in the entire 2018 Draft class, Dallas Goedert is a rare gem who will be one of the more intriguing players to watch in the coming months. The upside he presents is that of possibly the next big thing in the NFL at a position that has become tougher and tougher to defend. His athletic background and upbringing are far from common, but when you consider the package the senior brings to the table and his two straight years of 1,000+ receiving yards, the potential upside can be game changing for an NFL offense.
What He Does Well:
Goedert specializes in movement and body control. An athlete with the frame he has usually cannot twist, turn, and alter his weight in mid-air the way he can when attacking the ball. His ball skills are near-top notch when it comes to attacking with his hands in traffic. He brings in a ton of balls that are far away from his body and he makes it look easy and natural. There is toughness and physical presence about him after the catch. He likes to take on defenders and will drag them for multiple yards consistently.
Where He Needs Work:
There is a major difference in competition from where he plays in college to the NFL. He will no longer be the freak on the field who can simply out-move and out-muscle the defenders around him. There will be more attention to detail needed and he will have to spend a lot of time in the weight room. Goedert is a good athlete, but there isn’t standout speed when it comes to the NFL. His lazy route running and lack of ability to sharply cut will make things difficult when it comes to getting open. Goedert will also need to improve hand placement and consistency as a low-pad-level blocker.