LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Dalton Kincaid played just one season of football at Faith Lutheran High School. Before that, he concentrated on basketball at Coronado High School.
On Thursday night, when the Buffalo Bills traded up to select the Las Vegas native with the 25th pick in the NFL draft, Kincaid’s move to drop basketball looked Einstein smart.
“Bills mafia, can’t wait to get up there, play with some of the best, learn from some of the best,” an obviously excited Kincaid said in a video posted at the team’s Twitter site Thursday night after being selected. “Let’s go!”
At 6 foot 4, 242 pounds and with soft hands, Kincaid, a tight end, has the potential to be both a consistent blocker and explosive receiver, according to many NFL draft experts.
Buffalo general manger Brandon Beane traded his pick at No. 27 and another pick in the fourth round to Jacksonville to make Kincaid the first tight end picked in the first round. Beane made the deal exclusively to get Kincaid because he had “a good feeling” Dallas was going to select him.
Kincaid was a standout at Faith Lutheran in his one season and was a walk-on at San Diego in his two college seasons there. He transferred to Utah in 2020, where he blossomed this past season with 70 receptions for 890 yards and 12 touchdowns.
In his three seasons with the Utes and playing in the Pac-12, Kincaid had 107 receptions for 1,414 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The Associated Press said Kincaid watched the draft on TV with family and friends from his home in Las Vegas.
“It’s awesome. Trading up to get me goes to show that they wanted me that much more,” Kincaid told the AP.
