Former Utah tight end and Buffalo Bills first-round pick Dalton Kincaid is receiving rave reviews in his first professional training camp.
In fact, Kincaid is making recent headlines after securing a one-handed snag over the middle from All-Pro quarterback Josh Allen this week.
″I saw Dalton Kincaid make a one-handed catch over the middle in training camp and he just seems like the real deal,” said Jason McCourty, a longtime NFL defensive back and current NFL Network analyst.
Kincaid had an unorthodox path to the NFL, only playing one season of high school football before walking on to San Diego and eventually transferring to Utah for the 2020 season. Last season as a fifth-year senior, the 6-foot-4 pass catcher caught 70 passes for 890 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the Utes in each category.
The 23-year-old was the first and only tight end selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, and is expected to play a large role alongside fellow tight end Dawson Knox, a Pro Bowl selection last year.
Bills General Manager Brandon Beane also recently said Kincaid is expected to play as a flexed-out tight end and less as an in-line blocker this season.
“He’s smart, he’s instinctive,” Allen told reporters recently. “... I feel like no moment right now is too big for him. He understands the offense, he understands his role in the offense. He’s not trying to do more than what he needs to.”
Allen, who was recently named the No. 8 overall player in the NFL by his league mates, seems like he’ll enjoy targeting Kincaid for years to come.
”His catch radius is pretty big,” Allen said on One Bills Live last month. “He’s got some grippers on him and he can move this around and snag the ball out of the air. He’s a very good hands catcher.”
For Kincaid, his top priority is getting ready for his first professional season, although it’s a lot easier without the rigors of balancing college classes and training.
“I don’t have to worry about classes and quizzes and tests now, so that’s nice,” Kincaid told reporters July 30. I can spend a lot more time in the playbook and in the training room. Very glad I don’t have to take class anymore.”