Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: 5 first round possibilities at 26

Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /
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Rd1:26 the Dallas Cowboys select…

Dalton Kincaid, TE

Where there’s smoke, there is often fire and right now the air between Kincaid and the Cowboys is smokier than a Grateful Dead concert.

Kincaid, 23, is currently rated by both PFF (TE1) and Dane Brugler (his TE2) at 25 placing him right in the Dallas Cowboys range at pick 26. His value has slipped in the minds of some lately based on his back injury (should be 100 percent by training camp) and age (will turn 24 during the season) but these aren’t new developments to Dallas and the Cowboys are every bit as intrigued in the pass-catching tight end from Utah as they always were.

Over the past two seasons Kincaid led FBS TEs on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. He’s a weapon down the seam and a field stretcher at tight end (something the Dallas Cowboys haven’t had since Blake Jarwin).

His catch radius is enormous and his physical ability in and out of routes is good for a player his size (6-foot-4, 240 pounds). Most of his snaps were inline but he’s shown proficiency to play out of the slot as well. He’s a willing blocker but his low weight is an issue and he may never be a “good” blocker.

Dominant receiving tight ends are a cheat code in the NFL and Kincaid is arguably the best pass catcher in a very talented class.

Michael Mayer is a strong all-around alternative but he’s probably gone and Darnell Washington has impressive physical traits but he’s not remotely the same downfield weapon and this is too high to pick what is essentially an extra blocker.

Better value can be found later at the TE position but if Dallas is looking for a downfield weapon, Kincaid is their guy.