Dallas Cowboys 2019 draft profile: Tight End Kaden Smith
Tight End is a position the Dallas Cowboys should look to upgrade this offseason. If they do so in the draft, Kaden Smith from Stanford may be their guy.
Tight End was clearly a weak spot for the 2018 Dallas Cowboys offense. After the retirement of Jason Witten, Dallas went with a group of unproven young players to man down the tight end spot, and not a single one was able to even record 30 catches on the year.
Blake Jarwin and Geoff Swaim did show flashes in their limited roles, but with Swaim set to his free agency this March and the overall poor performance from the position, the Cowboys will most certainly be in the market for a tight end this offseason.
If Dallas decides to go about addressing this position via the draft, Kaden Smith a 6-foot-5, 253 pound tight end out of Stanford may be a good fit. In two season at Stanford Smith never put up huge statistical numbers, registering just 70 catches for 1,049 yards, and two seven touchdowns in his collegiate career.
Despite his lack of statistical production, Smith did show his ability to be a deep vertical threat down the field. He also was asked to lineup in many different places in different packages, and has the ability to lineup in the slot, on the line, or on the outside. With his long 6’5 frame he has great size and uses this to box out defenders well when a potential catch is being contested.
For the Cowboys, Smith could serve as a vertical tight end threat that also could provide a nice security blanket for quarterback Dak Prescott. If you watch his tape at Stanford, you see his vertical ability down the field, but you also see him beating zones a lot and coming back to the ball to make catches.
This could be a big help to Prescott. If the Cowboys do target Smith, they would be wise to try everything they can to keep Swaim as well because Smith is not much of a blocker at all.
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Overall Kaden Smith would be a developmental project for Dallas, who could come in and likely have some success immediately in a limited role. Personally, I do not think Smith is worth being the pick at 58, but if the Cowboys third-round pick comes around and he is still available it would be a solid choice.