Bills GM Brandon Beane Reveals Turning Point in Dalton Kincaid Draft Evaluation
The Buffalo Bills made Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, leaving no doubt he was the guy after moving up two selections (and blocking the Dallas Cowboys at 26) to secure his talents.
In some ways, it was Kincaid or bust for Bills general manager Brandon Beane, who admitted Thursday night that he would've traded down had the Las Vegas native been off the board.
However, Buffalo's interest in Kincaid wasn't always straightforward ... that is, until Beane and staff turned on the tape from one specific game and saw their opinions change.
Beane pointed to Kincaid's dominant performance against then-undefeated USC in mid-October as the turning point; Kincaid had 16 receptions for 234 yards and a score in Utah's 43-42 upset victory, creating a lengthy cut-up but one that ultimately endeared him to the Bills' decision-makers.
"We were watching them as a group a couple of weeks ago with the scouts and we were going through (it)," Beane said. "It was one of the segments where we just went through all his targets, and we were like, 'are these the same play?' It just kept going and going, and you're amazed at how many catches he had in one game."
The 6-4, 246-pound Kincaid was a first-team all-PAC 12 selection and AP All-American, finishing his super senior season with 70 receptions for 890 yards and eight touchdowns.
Kincaid, 23, led all FBS tight ends in receiving yards and yards per game (77.3) while his touchdown total ranked second. He's the first tight end the Bills have drafted in the first round since Tony Hunter in 1983.
Once more, though, the story was never that clear. While Kincaid was firmly on the draft radar entering 2022, he wasn't quite the same level of prospect he's now seen as - but performances like he had against USC lifted him to new heights, at least for the Bills.
"He definitely was a guy that we didn't have rated as high as we ended up," Beane said. "He definitely elevated himself as the season went on."
Now, Beane and staff will hope for two things - continued elevation and more USC-esque outings.
The latter may be difficult to achieve, but the Bills believe in Kincaid ... and are aiming to be "amazed" many more times in the years to come.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
Thanks for reading our SI-powered coverage of your Buffalo Bills ... Bills Mafia!
You're a member of Bills Mafia hungry for more Buffalo coverage? Read here.
