Dalton Kincaid Complete NFL Draft Profile (Route-Running Skills Could Help Kincaid Sneak Into First Round)

Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid is eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft following his standout senior season in 2022. An FCS player turned top target in the Utes' passing attack, Kincaid has done everything he can to prove he belongs and could hear his name called as early as the first round in April.

Here's everything you need to know about Dalton Kincaid heading into the 2023 NFL Draft.

Dalton Kincaid Draft Stock & Mock Draft Projections

Mock draft sources accurate as of 4/12: Walter Football, Sporting News, Draft Tek, Pro Football Network, Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, ESPN.

Projected Draft Round: Round 1 (5), Round 2 (2)
Projected Team: Bengals (2), Raiders (2), Bills (1), Packers (1), Jaguars (1)

Dalton Kincaid Scouting Report

Kincaid didn't have a typical route to being a top NFL Draft prospect as he started out at San Diego, which is a non-scholarship program playing in the FCS. He scored 11 touchdowns in 2018 and averaged 19.0 yards per catch in 2019. That caught the eye of the coaching staff of the Utah Utes.

After waiting in the wings for one year, Kincaid took over as a top target in Utah's passing attack with 510 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2021. He took his game up another level in 2022, as he logged 890 yards to go along with 8 touchdowns on 70 receptions and earned third-team All-American honors.

Highlighted strengths of Kincaid's game center around his fluid route-running skills. His route tree is expansive for a player of his size (6-foot-4, 246 pounds) and his hands are elite for a TE. Kincaid also has a knack for snapping through his breaks, which allows him to create separation from the defender.

Kincaid still has room to improve as his blocking capabilities are far from satisfactory. Piling on some muscle in the weight room would help the Utah standout hold his own against the NFL's best pass rushers. In a league where pass-catching tight ends are thriving, Kincaid is an exciting prospect.

Dalton Kincaid NFL Draft Prediction

NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that each NFL team has been informed that Kincaid has been cleared from a back injury that bothered him throughout his final college season. That news comes after Kincaid reportedly met with the Cincinnati Bengals, a team with a major hole at the TE position.

Kincaid is nothing short of a competitor. It's not often that an FCS player rises through the ranks all the way up to first-round consideration. His fighter mentality would fit in well alongside players like Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, especially since Cincinnati lost TE Hayden Hurst in free agency.

Adding an electrifying player to the offense would allow the Bengals to keep up with the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills in the AFC. Cincinnati owns the No. 28 pick in the first round and could opt to take a TE that early for the first time since 2013 (Tyler Eifert). Jumping Buffalo (No. 27) may be a necessary move, though.

Prediction: Cincinnati Bengals (Round 1, 28th overall)

Check out more NFL Draft content from The Duel:

Dalton Kincaid NFL Combine Results

Dalton Kincaid Utah Stats

Dalton Kincaid Utah Highlights

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.