A former college walk on, Dalton Kincaid has blossomed into one of the most dynamic tight ends in this upcoming class and will look to go from walk on to first round pick as he enters the 2023 NFL draft.
Here is everything you need to know about the Utes dynamo:
Vitals
Height: 6-4
Weight: 240
Class: Senior
Strengths
A dynamic athlete who can become a top receiving threat at the next level, Dalton Kincaid possesses an excellent skill set in both physical and technical aspects of the game. He had one of his best years in his final season with Utah, hauling in 70 catches for 890 yards and 8 touchdowns. His top season came in his sophomore year where he showcased some ridiculous explosion by averaging 19.0 yards a catch.
As a pass catcher, Kincaid is smooth as a route runner, gliding in and out of route breaks before hitting his second gear in an instant after the ball hits his hands. He is twitchy and strong enough to be a legitimate threat in running after the catch and will pick up a lot of earned yardage. He has excellent catching ability and a wide window to catch the football. Kincaid does great work adjusting and twerking his body to snatch the ball out of the year and can dominate in high-pointing the football.
As a run blocker, Kincaid clearly is engaged in the blocking aspect of the game as well as experienced. He is good at latching onto defensive players and driving them forward and is going to get better at it with his willingness and addition of play strength in the NFL.
Weaknesses
As mentioned previously, Kincaid’s play strength will need to improve at the next level. He is too easily bullied in the running attack and is not a top-level blocker by any means, and would need to improve this to become a more well-rounded tight end. He will need to add on some muscle in the NFL to become a more consistent blocker, and it will also help him break a few more initial contact tackles.
Projection
Dalton Kincaid is perhaps the top tight end in this draft class and will be an immediate impact player for whatever team drafts him. Teams are going to love his fluidity as a route runner and athlete, and the yard after contact ability he brings to the table. His athleticism and twitchiness will help him develop into an elite level threat in the NFL, and his hands will ensure he stays atop depth charts. While his blocking and play strength can certainly improve, there is little doubt he will take it all in with coaching and weight training in the future.
Projection: First Round Pick