Cowboys Draft: Dallas Selects Elite TE in Latest Mel Kiper Mock

In the scenario that the Cowboys need a tight end this offseason, Mel Kiper sees Dalton Kincaid as an ideal fit.

As the Dallas Cowboys approach the offseason, they do so facing a decision as to who they'll use their franchise tag on, if anyone - with the two most likely candidates being tight end Dalton Schultz or running back Tony Pollard. 

Should they choose to franchise tag Pollard, it would likley allow Schultz to test free agency, leaving the Cowboys with (depending on what one thinks of Jake Ferguson and Peyton Henderson) a theoretical need at tight end. To fill that need - or, to simply pick the "best available guy'' -  Mel Kiper has the Cowboys drafting a tight end with their first-round pick in his latest mock.

Rd. 1 No. 26 - Dalton Kincaid - TE (Utah)

Let's replace Dalton Schultz with another Dalton. Schultz, who played on the franchise tag in Dallas last season, could leave in free agency, in which case the Cowboys must find a replacement. 

Kincaid, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound player with great hands, could step in and be a comparable pass-catcher from Day 1. He caught 106 passes and had 16 scores for the Utes over the past two seasons, and he makes tough catches look simple. He torched defenses down the middle of the field, and he has improved as a blocker.

Schultz, if franchise tagged, would earn roughly $11.3 million. Whether or not that is a price Dallas wants to pay him is yet to be seen. 

He did have a slight decrease in production compared to 2021, from 808 receiving yards and eight touchdowns to 577 receiving yards and five touchdowns. However, in the playoffs he showed why he's one of Prescott's favorite targets with 122 receiving yards and three touchdowns in just two games. 

In a scenario that Dallas lets Schultz test free agency, replacing him with Kincaid could be a plausible scenario. As Kiper mentioned, Kincaid is an elite pass-catcher and would be another weapon for Prescott to work with. 

Of course, the Cowboys could also let Schultz test free agency and turn to their two promising rookies in Hendershot and Ferguson, who combined for 277 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 30 receptions last season.

This is all, of course, purely hypothetical until the decision surrounding Schultz and Pollard is made. 

If the Cowboys do look to the draft for a new tight end, though, snagging Kincaid at No. 26 might help them not skip a beat should Schultz sign elsewhere.

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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