Draft Coverage

Bills Day 1 NFL Draft grades, previewing potential Day 2 picks

Apr 28, 2023 at 01:04 PM

Alec White

Content Coordinator

Bills fans had to wait until the clock was approaching midnight on Day 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft, but in the end Buffalo got its guy in Utah TE Dalton Kincaid. The Bills traded up two spots with the Jaguars to take the TE at No. 25 overall, giving up the 27th pick and a fourth-rounder.

Kincaid was rated as the best tight end prospect in the NFL Draft and the No. 9 overall player in the class, according to NFL.com's draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. This is what Jeremiah wrote about Kincaid prior to the draft:

"(Kincaid) is explosive in his release and is a smooth/fluid route runner. He gets up on the toes of defenders before snapping off his route and creating separation. He attacks the ball with his hands and can hold on after taking hard contact," Jeremiah said.

Here are the Bills' Day 1 draft grades and a look ahead to what could happen on Day 2 with Buffalo holding a second and third round draft pick.

Day 1 Grades

Chad Reuter | NFL.com draft analyst

Grade: A-

"Buffalo needed to add more offensive weapons to catch up with the Bengals and Chiefs in the AFC, so I'd been projecting the team to move up in the first round to nab a playmaker. With the top receivers off the board, Kincaid's superior pass-catching skills came into focus for the Bills, as he moves like a receiver in the open field and contorts his frame to grab high and wide passes." — Reuter

Pro Football Focus | Staff picks

Grade: Elite

"The Bills make a small jump to land the premier pass-catching tight end in the draft in Kincaid. This is a huge value pick for the 10th overall player on the PFF big board. Kincaid was the focal point of the Utah offense and led all players at the position with a 91.8 PFF receiving grade in 2022." — PFF

Sports Illustrated | Matt Verderame

Grade: B

"It's impossible to argue against the value for Buffalo. The Bills got an elite talent in Kincaid, who starred in the Pac-12 last year with 890 receiving yards and eight touchdowns for the Utes. While many expected the Bills to add a receiver this offseason to pair with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, Buffalo now has a nasty two tight-end set with Kincaid and veteran Dawson Knox." — Verderame

Related Links

Bleacher Report | Brent Sobleski

Grade: A

"In a shrewd move by the Buffalo Bills, they traded ahead of the Dallas Cowboys to select Kincaid. The Cowboys don't have a starting-caliber tight end on their roster after Dalton Schultz left in free agency. Thus, the Bills moved up two spots and gave up a fourth-round pick to make sure they got the tight end of their choice." — Sobleski

The Athletic | Staff picks

Grade: B+

"Josh Allen needed another talent in the passing game, and Kincaid gives it to him. Working in combination with Dawson Knox, Kincaid has a good frame, large hands and is a tremendous pass catcher. At this point in his career, Kincaid is more effective as a pass receiver than a full-service tight end."

Day 2 preview

The Bills hold a second and third round pick on the second day of the draft (59th overall & 91st overall) as they look to continue adding to their roster. With a perhaps unexpected pick of a tight end in the first round, there's a handful of different directions the Bills could take.