The Green Bay Packers hold the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft and may eventually take control of the 13th overall pick if the New York Jets agree to deal the first-round pick in a trade for Aaron Rodgers.
Who could be legitimate targets for general manager Brian Gutekunst?
Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one potential first-round prospect capable of landing in Green Bay come Thursday, April 27.
Up next in the series is Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid:
Size, athleticism
Height: 6-4
Weight: 246
Hand: 10 1/4″
Arm: 32 5/8″
Kincaid is still recovering from a small back fracture he suffered at the end of last season. The injury did not require surgery, but it did prevent him from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine and at Utah’s pro day. The good news is he should be fully healed in time for the 2023 season.
Relative Athletic Score: N/A
What he can do, what to know
– Catches a ton of passes thrown his way. In 2022, Kincaid caught 66 of 87 targets.
– Impressive size and catch radius allow him to pluck balls away from his frame and make contested catches.
– Run routes like a wide receiver. Kincaid may be listed as a tight end, but his extensive route tree and fluid movements match up with the best receiver prospects.
– Gain separation against defenders. This ties into his route running, but Kincaid has few issues using his speed and lateral quickness to beat most coverages.
– Finished as the active FBS leader among tight ends with 2,484 receiving yards and 35 receiving touchdowns.
– Has alignment versatility to be a move tight end capable of playing in-line, in the slot and out wide.
– Reliable blocker that doesn’t treat it like a chore and plays with competitive toughness.
How he fits
It’s been far too long since the Packers had a playmaking tight end, and Kincaid has the potential to be just is that if everything goes as planned. Right away, Kincaid would be a tremendous asset to Jordan Love. He could work the middle of the field as a quarterback-friendly with reliable hands and a wide catch radius. And when it comes to Matt LaFleur’s offense, we have never seen what it would look like with a weapon like Kincaid. LaFleur would constantly find creative ways to use Kincaid’s unique skill set, whether it be as a decoy, generating easy looks or taking shots up the seam. This is something we haven’t seen much of in LaFleur’s offense, as the talent in the tight end room has always been limited. However, Kincaid would be a great addition with the loss of Robert Tonyan and likely Marcedes Lewis. While Kincaid doesn’t have Lewis’ blocking prowess, he can certainly hold his own. And while Tonyan was a decent receiving tight end, Kincaid takes it to another level. He might have the best hands in the entire class, and his speed and route running would make him an immediate threat in Green Bay’s pass-heavy scheme. Given their history, it would be surprising to see the Packers take a tight end in the first round, but it’s hard to ignore Kincaid’s readiness and upside. He’s not a bad option to ease the transition to Love while being a great compliment piece to guys like Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
NFL comp: Zach Ertz
Ertz is somewhat limited athletically, but there’s no denying his production in the passing game. Kincaid is similar in that aspect, except he adds more speed and twitch as a route runner. However, both catch basically everything thrown their way and are willing blockers. Ertz was an early second-round pick back in 2013, while Kincaid is a consensus first-rounder given his versatility and upside. If Kincaid lives up to the hype, he could surpass Ertz by having multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
