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Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid declares for NFL draft, to skip Rose Bowl

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Utah Utes tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) is brought down by USC Trojans linebackers Shane Lee (53) and Tuasivi Nomura (44) as Utah and USC play at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Utah won 43-42. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

Estimated reading time: 2-3 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — The collegiate career of Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid has come to an end.

The senior from Las Vegas, Nevada, announced on Twitter on Sunday that due to an injury he will not be playing in the upcoming Rose Bowl and will prepare for the NFL draft.

Kincaid sustained an injury during the Colorado game that left him as a game-time decision ahead of the Pac-12 championship game against USC. He played, however, and had four catches for 40 yards in a 47-24 win over then-No. 4 U.S.C.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce that, due to injury, I will not play in the Rose Bowl,” he said on Twitter. “My plan is to rehab and prepare for the NFL draft. I will, however, still attend the Rose Bowl and support and cheer for my teammates. I am so excited to watch them compete on January 2nd.”

Kincaid, who transferred to Utah ahead of the 2020 season from San Diego, missed only one game this season due to injury but finished as Utah’s leading receiver with 890 yards and eight touchdowns on a team-high 70 receptions. His role on the team increased when fellow tight end Brant Kuithe sustained a season-ending injury against Arizona State.

Kincaid was named to the All-Pac-12 first team for his season that included a game where he caught 16 consecutive catches for 234 yards to tie an FBS record in Utah’s first meeting with USC this season.

“I have cherished every single moment I have stepped on the football field, and my time at both Utah and USD is something I will hold in my heart forever,” Kincaid said. “I will never forget every drop of blood and sweat, every triumph, every fear shed and every memory made. Throughout this journey as a football player, I have learned and grown and pushed myself to places I never thought possible.”

Kincaid finished his career at Utah with 1,414 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.

“Thank you to all of my coaches, my brothers, my family, and all of the incredible fans,” Kincaid said. “I am so grateful for this team and my experiences and I can’t wait for the next chapter in my football career! Go Utes, always.”

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound athlete who can be utilized on the offensive line as well as a prolific pass catcher is considered to be one of the top tight ends in the upcoming draft and will undoubtedly see his stock give him an early -round grade for the NFL draft.

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Josh is the Sports Director for KSL.com and beat writer for University of Utah athletics — primarily football, men’s basketball and gymnastics. He is also an Associated Press Top 25 voter for college football.

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