Cowboys draft 2023: Tight finish Dalton Kincaid prospect profile

For those who caught our writer’s roundtable on the Running a blog the Boys Youtube channel, the topic was mentioned if the Dallas Cowboys ought to take a decent finish with their twenty sixth choose within the NFL Draft. Dane Brugler of The Athletic had mocked Utah tight finish Dalton Kincaid to the Cowboys and that stoked up a spirited dialogue if Kincaid was well worth the first-round funding.

The panel largely was not in favor of Kincaid, or tight finish for that matter, that early within the draft. Nevertheless, as Tony Catalina defined, whereas many will disagree with the number of a decent within the first spherical, the group isn’t afraid to divert from the consensus. Additionally, as he had defined, the Cowboys taking a decent finish with different urgent wants is one thing that he wouldn’t put previous the entrance workplace.

Disappointing as that could be, he isn’t fallacious, and the Cowboys have been identified to deviate from standard draft knowledge. These examples embody drafting Travis Frederick within the first spherical, taking Ezekiel Elliott with a top-five choose, and final 12 months, drafting Tyler Smith a lot to the ire of the fanbase. If just for a second, let’s put away our pitchforks and torches and observe Dalton Kincaid as solely a prospect, and see what Dallas might be getting in Kincaid as a prospect.

The Good:

Dalton Kincaid is a flexible tight finish that may create mismatches and may line up in a number of locations. Utah had him play as an in-line Y tight finish, flexed within the slot, and at occasions, break up out vast. As a go catcher, Kincaid has very delicate and dependable arms with an enormous catch radius to go together with it. Kincaid has a superb get-off on the line of scrimmage and when working his routes could be very clean. He can sink his hips to alter course out and in of his breaks with ease.

He’s additionally adept at studying the protection to seek out the delicate spot within the zone protection. Moreover, he seems to make performs after the catch. He’s acquired an excellent really feel of when to throttle himself down and present the quarterback his numbers. Kincaid can also be an sufficient blocker when on the transfer. He’s additionally acquired a little bit of a imply streak to his recreation and can play by means of the whistle at occasions.

The Dangerous:

The negatives with Dalton Kincaid are extra so superficial and exterior than they’re having to do along with his play as a prospect. Beginning with the bodily points, Kincaid is a shade small. He measured in on the mix at 6’4” and 246lbs. That’s barely smaller than premier tight ends Travis Kelce and Dallas Goedert, and smaller than the present tight ends on the Cowboys roster.

Kincaid wants to enhance his taking part in power. He has a little bit of a slight construct, and it results in issues within the working recreation. Regardless of his versatility, there are considerations about his means to dam as an in-line tight finish. There have been occasions towards Florida when linebackers and edge gamers have been capable of stack him as much as shed him earlier than attending to the ball provider.

He was knocked off steadiness and down to 1 knee with regularity towards the Gators. When working his patterns, Kincaid could be knocked off steadiness by bodily go defenders. He nonetheless has quite a bit to study concerning the recreation, having performed soccer solely going again to 1 season of highschool soccer.

Conclusion:

In the case of Kincaid solely as a prospect, nobody needs to be disillusioned in having him on their group subsequent season. He’s the kind of receiving mismatch that groups covet. He’s too quick for linebackers and too huge for slot cornerbacks. He would make for a helpful weapon in a restricted Dallas arsenal. Nevertheless, taking Kincaid at 26 could be the Cowboys allocating sources the place they don’t have to.

Dallas already boasts among the best tight finish teams within the NFL. Certain, Dalton Schultz is prone to value himself out of Dallas’ vary, however this group has had a knack for locating productive receiving tight ends with low-end to no draft capital. Jake Ferguson was a fourth-round choose. Peyton Hendershot was undrafted, and Schultz was a compensatory fourth-round choose.

Whereas Kincaid is an attractive prospect, the Cowboys could be smart to go on him if there are closely-rated gamers at different positions in that spot, resembling vast receiver and cornerback. Reinvesting closely in a decent finish whereas not addressing velocity at vast receiver or someone to play cornerback reverse Trevon Diggs could be an enormous oversight. Once more, Kincaid is an effective prospect with a strong basis of abilities to construct upon, however Dallas shouldn’t take him as a result of the place is already in good arms.