2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Dalton Kincaid, TE, University of Utah

Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid is seen as a potential first-round pick. We break down the skill set he brings to the table here.

Dalton Kincaid had an outstanding season for he Utes last season as he was amongst the best tight ends in college football.

He projects well to the NFL as well, making him a coveted NFL draft prospect as he’ll likely be the first or second tight end off the board. I break down the strengths and weaknesses in his game here.

Overview

Birthdate: 10/18/1999

Height/Weight: 6-foot-3 ⅝, 246 pounds

High School: Faith Lutheran High School (Las Vegas, NV)

Recruit (247): 2018 class unranked

2022 Stats: 93 T 70 R 890 Yds 8 TD

2022 PFF: 90.2

2021 Stats: 45 T 36 R 510 Yds 8 TD

2021 PFF: 79.2

Strengths

Athleticism
- Very good athlete for a TE.
- A bit on the lighter side at 246 pounds, but that shows up in how well he moves.
- Athleticism pops out on tape, fast and changes directions better than most TEs.
Receiving Ability
- Can win in a variety of ways as a receiver.
- Has the speed to win on crossing routes across the middle of the field, an important ability for TEs.
- Can win by finding holes in zones and exploiting defenses.
- Also can win on contested catches even when he doesn’t create much separation.
- Had a phenomenal pass catching season last year at Utah.
- 70 catches (1st for TEs in FBS), 890 yards (2nd for TEs), 8 TDs (tied for 2nd for TEs), and 90.2 PFF grade (2nd for TEs).
YAC Ability
- Can elude tackles as he’s hard for DBs to bring down at hi size and has very good speed & elusiveness for a TE.
- Last season he forced 16 missed tackles (3rd in FBS amongst TEs).

Weaknesses

Blocking needs to improve
- Some examples of good blocks on his tape, but needs to improve his consistency – too many missed blocks.
- Being on the lighter side for TEs at 246 pounds (20th percentile for TEs) helps him as a receiver, but limits him as a blocker as well.
- 2022 at Utah: 59.5 run block grade was 13th of 26 qualified pac 12 TEs.
Late Bloomer
- Past season was his fifth year in college as he was in the 2018 class comin gout of high school and he spent two seasons at San Diego before transferring to Utah for three seasons.
- Currently 23 years old and will turn 24 during his rookie season, which isn’t a deal breaker, but not ideal.

Final Evaluation

Pos Rnk: TE2

Projection: First Round

Kincaid is a highly rated tight end prospect by many and for good reason. With his athleticism and receiving ability he projects to be a valuable component of a team’s passing game in the NFL.