PLAYER: Dallas Goedert.
COLLEGE: South Dakota State
TEAM: Philadelphia Eagles.
POSITION: Tight end.
HEIGHT: 6-5.
WEIGHT: 256.
DRAFT: Round 2, No. 49
2022 STATS: 55 catches, 702 yards, 3 touchdowns.
From David Tyree’s “Helmet Catch” to Malcolm Butler’s goal line interception, the Super Bowl is rife with stories of “B List” players who had a huge impact on the Super Bowl.
Tyree, of course, caught a 32-yard pass of his helmet with 59 seconds left that set up the Giants’ winning touchdown in a 17-14 upset of the undefeated Patriots. Tyree, a former sixth-round pick, had four receptions for 35 yards with no touchdowns during the regular season. He had three catches for 43 yards and one touchdown in Super Bowl XLII.
Butler had signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of West Alabama in 2014. His pick of a Russell Wilson pass with 20 seconds left in Super Bowl XLIX secured New England’s 28-24 win over the Seahawks. It was the first pick of Butler’s career. He became a starter the next season.
With Super Bowl LVII less than a week away, who will emerge as the unexpected star?
This is the first in a BetBasics.com series intended to find the player worth a Super Bowl parlay, or dare we say, an MVP trophy bet.
Big things were expected of Goedert after the Eagles surprisingly took him in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. We say surprisingly because Philly already had a topnotch tight end in Zach Ertz along with Brett Celek, and the team seemingly had more pressing needs. Philly even traded up to leapfrog the rival Cowboys and snag Goedert
Goedert has emerged into a dominant player – when he stays healthy. Except for his rookie season Goedert has not played a full 16 games. This year he was limited to 12 games. He still finished third on the Eagles in catches, yards and receiving touchdowns.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has an abundance of weapons. Running back Kenneth Gainwell has been a beast in the playoffs. A.J. Brown, a Hurts buddy, and Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith, comprise one of the best young receiving tandems in the NFL.
Yet in Philly’s two playoff games, Hurts has targeted Goedert 11 times, third most. Goedert leads the Eagles with 10 playoff catches for 81 yards (second on the team) and one receiving touchdown.
The Chiefs linebackers are excellent at what they do. Nick Bolton is a tackling fool and Willie Gay is a pass-rushing menace. Neither are great in coverage. Which means Hurts and Goedert could face favorable matchups.
A tight end has never won Super Bowl MVP. Kansas City’s Travis Kelce is regarded as the best in the NFL, maybe the best who ever played. Godert will be the “other” tight end in this game. Goedert is +4500 for MVP at PoinstBet. We took the Eagles giving 1.5 points and Goedert to score a touchdown at +350 and wagered $30. The payoff is $105 for a net of $75.