The draft analysts are starting to settle on the same pick for Dallas in next month’s NFL draft. So Dalton Kincaid, maybe start picking out some new Cowboy boots.
A week ago, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper projected that Dallas will draft Kincaid, the standout tight end from Utah. Now, it’s Todd McShay, another top draft analysis for ESPN, saying the same.
This is the year of the tight end. And it’s also a position of need for the Cowboys. Dalton Schultz likely will leave for a higher paycheck after the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard. Dallas used the franchise tag on Schultz this time a year ago.
Here’s what McShay had to say about the Dallas draft and why he thinks Kincaid is a good fit for the Cowboys.
“This is a value pick, but tight end Dalton Schultz is also a free agent and might be gone,” McShay wrote. “With the top receivers all off the board — I’d love to get another one opposite CeeDee Lamb — Dallas can look to Kincaid as another pass-catcher for quarterback Dak Prescott. We didn’t see Kincaid work out at the combine, but he has enough speed to make plays down the seam and can go up and get 50-50 balls. He is coming off a 70-catch, 890-yard, eight-TD campaign with the Utes and has the versatility to move around the formation.”
Doctors discovered Kincaid had a tiny fracture in his back during the Combine medical evaluations. So he didn’t work out in Indy. However, scouts saw enough of his film to know what he can bring to the football field. He’s a former basketball player who only started football his final year in high school. Kincaid played two years for San Diego, then transferred to Utah. In his two seasons with the Utes, he caught 106 passes for 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Is Kincaid a Good Fit for the Dallas Draft? He Could Be Top Tight End
Rob Rang, a draft analyst for Fox Sports, ranked Kincaid as the top tight end available in the draft. Other analysts believe it’s Notre Dame standout Michael Mayer. McShay, for the second straight mock draft, projects Green Bay selecting Mayer. That’s 11 spots ahead of where McShay thinks Dallas will draft Kincaid.
As we said, the Cowboys likely are in the market for a tight end. Schultz probably will be the top tight end in the free agent market. Spotrac estimates Schultz’s value at $15.1 million a year. Plus, NFL teams love the idea of a big guy who can catch and block. It’s why Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and San Franciso’s George Kittle are so coveted.
McShay projects two tight ends going in the first round. Other draft experts believe eight could be selected amongst the top 100 picks. So if Dallas really wants to draft a tight end, 2023 is the perfect year to do so.
You can check out the rest of McShay’s mock draft here.
