DTC Scouting Report: Dallas Goedert

There are hundreds of stories and opinions shared during the planning and anticipation stages of the 2018 NFL Draft. As a former high school football coach and educator by trade, one of my passions include providing film-based reviews on rookie prospects and focusing on their strengths and weakness which may assist other fantasy football enthusiasts in their evaluations.

After reviewing four of his games, here’s my scouting report on senior South Dakota State Jackrabbits tight end Dallas Goedert:

[Note: Most of these game videos are available via YouTube and Draft Breakdown]

TE Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State

6’5” | 255 lbs.

Games Studied: Western Illinois, Illinois State, North Dakota State (2016 & 2017)

Cons: Dallas Goedert is not a deceptive route runner. He gives away when he is going to change directions or slow down. At the next level, this will lead to pass breakups or at worst, interceptions. Hopefully, NFL coaching will help him disguise what he is doing on passing downs. Goedert likes to make the spectacular catch which sometimes leads to lapses in concentration since he wants to dazzle before the pigskin is securely in his hands. While Goedert can make some amazing one-handed receptions, he needs to do the little things such as securing the catch first.

South Dakota State does not play many non-FCS teams, so the level of competition Goedert faced was not even close that of a prospect who played in a Power Five conference which may cause problems for some evaluators. He was invited to the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine but didn’t get out of day one practice in Mobile without a hamstring injury. This same injury prevented him from partaking in every Combine drill except for the bench press. Goedert missed some time in 2017 with an ankle injury as well. His interest in blocking is there, but the technique is not. He can’t seem to line up his upper and lower parts of his body to move defenders around. Perhaps with NFL coaching, this minus can be turned into a plus. My final concern is Goedert’s age. He was redshirted in 2013, and after some research, his birthday is listed as January 3, 1995, making him 23 years old today. Before the end of the 2018-19 NFL season, Goedert will be 24 years old, an age that is a bit older than NFL and dynasty owners want to see.

Pros: When you watch the tight end play, the first thing I noticed is his soft hands that snare the ball away from his body are. Goedert’s immense catch radius is impressive; going high, low, or to either side when attacking the pigskin. This former high school basketball player boxes out defenders well and secures the pigskin by adjusting himself mid-flight to secure the ball at its highest point. Goedert does a great job tracking it in the air over his shoulder. Whether inline as a wing back or split out wide, he usually gets a quick release. This versatility will make him a nice PPR asset.

Goedert’s quick feet help him gain separation from linebackers who often cover him. He maintains a good center of gravity that allows him to absorb big hits continue moving forward. While we don’t know his timed speed due to the ankle and hamstring injuries, the playmaker appears to move as quickly as his fellow high ranked rookie tight ends. His college coaches have applauded his work ethic and football IQ. Goedert came to South Dakota State weighing just over 205 pounds and added almost 50 more of pure muscle to his frame. He seems willing to put in the hard work that NFL success craves.

Overall impressions: Despite his small school experience and lack of competing in the 2018 Senior Bowl or NFL Combine, I have Goedert ranked as my top fantasy rookie tight end. There will be a big transition from South Dakota State to the NFL, so don’t count on him to produce like a top 10 fantasy tight end this year. His blocking needs a lot of work, and I’d expect to see him mostly out on passing downs and around the goal line. I wouldn’t invest highly in him during rookie drafts due to his advanced age of 23 (24 in January ‘19), so I suggest you wait until the second round to snare him or, in tight end premium leagues, late first round.

Thanks for reading my DTC Scouting Report series in the week and a half leading up to tonight’s 2018 NFL Draft. I hope you not only enjoyed them but also learned something new about some of my favorite prospects in this class. If you missed any of the reports I did, here’s a rundown: