Draft Profile: Utah Utes Tight End Dalton Kincaid

Mar 24, 2023 - 1:40 PM

Number: 86

Position: TE

Height: 6035

Weight: 246 lbs

Hand: 10 1/4"

Arm: 32 5/8"

No workouts at the combine or Utah's Pro Day due to a chest injury

Background: Kincaid is a 5th-year senior tight end who started his collegiate career with the San Diego Aztecs, where he played in 24 games. He transferred to the Utah Utes in 2020, where he would ultimately play in 31 games with Utes, including 23 starts over his three seasons. Kincaid is the FBS active career leader among tight ends with 2,484 receiving yards and 35 receiving touchdowns. He was an All-Pac-12 first-team tight end in 2022 and an honorable mention in 2021.

Kincaid suffered a small fracture in his back prior to the Pac-12 title game against USC but played through it. He ultimately missed the Rose bowl due to the fracture. Earlier in the year, Kincaid missed an early November matchup against the Arizona Wildcats due to a shoulder injury he sustained against Washington State. There have been no other reported injuries during his collegiate career.

Strengths

Kincaid has good single-move releases as an in-line tight end, using solid lateral quickness and good acceleration. He has a good feel for coverage techniques against him, which allows him to manipulate defenders' blind spots in his route phase. Kincaid displays good foot quickness from wide splits on double move releases vs. Press. Kincaid shows a good ability to close cushions vs. Off coverage. Kincaid shows good ability to defeat leverage, knowing which hip to attack depending on his intended route break. He has good burst and quickness using pressure steps. He has good use of hands against press/jam with effective swipes and swim moves at the line of scrimmage. He also displays good functional strength fighting through pressure at the line of scrimmage.

Kincaid has good understanding of coverages on the first and second levels, with good foot speed to separate on seams and crossers. Additionally, Kincaid shows a good ability to separate on change of direction routes with play strength. Kincaid has good hand usage and play strength at the breakpoint to clear contact and separate from defenders. He also understands route depth on his hitches and curls based on the cushion he's facing. Kincaid also displays good ability to manipulate defender hips, creating separation by defeating leverage with good change of direction and quickness at the breakpoint.

As a pass catcher, Kincaid has an excellent catch radius and adjust ability. His hands are good as a stationary catcher, on the move, with overall good grip strength to maintain/secure possession. Kincaid has elite concentration in contested situations and very good high-point ability showcasing his high level of competitiveness at the catch point. Kincaid also shows very good endzone and sideline awareness, with good body control to get his feet down in tight spaces.

Kincaid's YAC ability is as good as some of the best tight ends in the NFL. He is a fluid, shifty runner after the catch, displaying good YAC ability with elusiveness, speed, and power. Kincaid has good lateral quickness to side-step tackle attempts. He also shows timely spine moves and change of direction to use defenders' momentum against them when pursuing. In addition, he displays the necessary functional strength to shed arm tacklers and good contact balance to maintain his feet against shoulder hits.

Kincaid is at his best as a blocker when he can get to the second and third levels on predetermined block assignments. He has good competitiveness as a lead blocker with good grip strength to sustain blocks at the point of attack. Kincaid also shows good acceleration and foot speed to reach the perimeter on pulls. He displays good functional strength on down blocks.

Weaknesses

As a route runner, Kincaid must continue improving his route breaks on change of direction routes. At times on in-breaking routes, Kincaid can round his routes at the breakpoint, allowing defenders to jump his routes to contest at the catch point.

As a run blocker, Kincaid struggles with his hat placement and overall ability to seal backside run defenders. Displays adequate core strength vs. BIGs as an in-line blocker creating issues sustaining blocks. Kincaid displays an adequate feel for space and self-locating defenders to block on the second and third levels. On wham blocks, he shows below-average strength on contact vs. BIGs. Overall, Kincaid has below-average hand placement at the point of attack and lacks leg drive on base blocks. Kincaid does not appear to be too far off being a consistently good in-line blocker but will need to continue developing his technique.