Broncos Pick 80 Greg Dulcich TE UCLA

[megalodon30]

Good pick! Weapon for Wilson! Go Broncos!

 

[megalodon30]

Was a walk-on at UCLA. You know a guy like that is gonna work hard for every opportunity.

 

[SpringStein]

BACKGROUND: Greg Dulcich (Dull-sitch), who is the youngest of four children, grew up in Glendale (10 miles north of downtown Los Angeles). He attended St. Francis High in La Canada Flintridge where he played quarterback on the junior varsity team as a sophomore. Dulcich moved up to varsity as a junior and shifted to a hybrid tight end role, catching 30 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns in 2016. He became the team’s go-to pass-catcher as a senior and led St. Francis to a 12-2 record and a spot in the 2017 state championship game. Dulcich finished his final season with 50 catches for 1,168 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding two touchdown passes as the backup quarterback and 21 tackles and two pass break-ups on defense. He was also a standout basketball player at St. Francis.
A no-star recruit out of high school, Dulcich wasn’t ranked by the online recruiting services for the 2018 recruiting class and struggled to attract interest from FBS programs. His productive senior season helped him earn late offers from FCS programs like Eastern Illinois, Columbia and San Diego, but at only 215 pounds, he couldn’t get any Pac-12 teams to bite. His high school head coach (Jim Bonds) played quarterback at UCLA and helped Dulcich receive a preferred walk-on opportunity with the Bruins. Dulcich redshirted in 2018 and filled out his frame and he was put on scholarship on his 20th birthday (March 2020). He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in political science (December 2021). He elected to skip his senior season and enter the 2022 NFL Draft. Dulcich accepted his invitation to the 2022 Senior Bowl.

STRENGTHS: Explosive athlete out of the slot ... has take-it-the-distance speed and does a lot of his damage on crossers where he can pluck in stride ... quickly attacks vacated zones, snaps his hips and gives the quarterback a clear target ... his acceleration leads to big plays (six catches of 30-plus yards in 2021) ... long arms and steady hands to expand his catch radius ... outstanding first-down rate (76.5%) over the last two seasons ... able to make the first guy miss after the catch ... high achiever on and off the field, earning Academic All-American status in 2021 with a 3.52 GPA (UCLA head coach Chip Kelly: “His work ethic is off the charts.”) ... has some growth potential to add more mass to his frame (added 35 pounds since he enrolled at UCLA) ... excellent production the last two seasons, leading Pac-12 tight ends in receiving in 2021.
WEAKNESSES: Average-sized frame with lean limbs ... doesn’t have the functional strength to control the point of attack as a blocker ... wears down quickly in pass protection ... inconsistent with his hand placement and leverage points ... blocks with wide hands, which often leads to obvious holds (flagged for holding three times in 2021) ... his “want-to” as a blocker is OK, but can be better ... lowers his eyes and gets his upper half overextended in the run game ... gets upright in his routes and lacks fluidity at the stem ... can do a better job sealing defenders off the passing lane.
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at UCLA, Dulcich was a hybrid Y tight end in head coach Chip Kelly’s offense, splitting his snaps 50/50 between inline and detached. A former walk-on, he became a starter prior to the 2020 season and led the Bruins in receiving each of the last two years, adding a big-play threat to the offense (three touchdown catches of 50-plus yards). Dulcich is at his best as a “big slot” with his ability to find open zones or attack the seam/crossers with his pull-away acceleration (averaged 17.6 yards per catch in his career). As a blocker, his pass protection has a quick expiration date and he needs to continue developing his play strength and hand technique. Overall, Dulcich needs continued maturation as a blocker, but he is explosive as a pass-catcher with a good-sized catch radius and separation burst before and after the catch. He projects best as an “F” tight end in the NFL with mismatch value.

 

[PumpFake]

solid pick!

 

[megalodon30]

UCLA head coach Chip Kelly: “His work ethic is off the charts.”

I like this quote!

 

[BHamita]

Wilson likes to go vertical...and that lines up with his game.

 

[Duffman]

Dude was Pac-12 1st team last year so he’s got some talent for sure.

 

[PumpFake]

Wilson likes to go vertical...and that lines up with his game.

Wilson probably hand picked.

 

[SpringStein]

Dulcich (6-foot-4, 243) is a pass-catching tight end who is capable of producing explosive plays. He caught 42 balls for 725 yards last season and averaged 17.6 YPR during his college career. Dulcich has some shiftiness to his route-running, but his athletic testing (ran 4.69) was somewhat disappointing.

The Broncos included Noah Fant in the deal for Russell Wilson. Dulcich has the potential to be a field-stretching tight end. I like this move for Denver.

From Kapadia at TA.

 

[PumpFake]

1. Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
   Strengths: Threat after the catch, big-play machine, former walk-on with room to grow both physically and within current skill set
   Weakness: Refinement in route running, willing but below-average blocker
   Kyle Pitts is the new basis for comparison at tight end, and deservedly so. Pitts became the highest drafted tight end ever and went on to post a historically good rookie campaign.
   When another prospect compares favorably to Pitts, everyone should take notice. UCLA's Greg Dulcich fits the bill.
   In 2020, Dulcich finished ahead of Pitts and led all Power Five tight ends in receiving yardage market share and receiving yards per pass attempt, according to Fantasy Footballers' Marvin Elequin. He then repeated the feat this past season.
   Dulcich doesn't have the same athletic profile or overall skill set as Pitts. But he showed significant growth each year on campus and proved he can be a vital component in the passing game.
   The first-team All-Pac-12 selection created 470 yards after the catch and hauled in 36 catches of 15 or more yards since the start of the 2020 campaign, per Pro Football Focus. Those numbers ranked second and tied for first, respectively, among Power Five tight ends.
   Others in the class may have been more productive, better blockers or superior athletes, but Dulcich has the chance to blossom into a premier NFL playmaker.
   Russell Wilson’s addition to the lineup is only part of the reason why the Denver Broncos are truly dangerous. Yes, Wilson plays a significant role in what the team will do moving forward since the previous quarterback play was so bad. Even so, the Broncos already had weapons in Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Jerry Jeudy, Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III.
   
   Noah Fant was included in the Wilson deal, though. Dulcich helps offset that loss and makes sure that Albert Okwuegbunam isn’t forced into a full-time role.
   
   Grade: A

 

[PumpFake]

 

[megalodon30]

He believes in Wilson…

 

[Mingo]

If there was a trend in the first two Bronco picks - I'd say it is guys who make plays. They may have some classic weakness on the charts, but guys who make plays are guys who win you football games.

Dulcich is a matchup nightmare - he would have to be accounted for by the defense while you cover Patrick, Jeudy, Sutten and whoever may be curling out of the backfield. When you have a franchise QB - every specialty player is a threat.

Julius Thomas was a pathetic TE, but he made plays for a prime-time Peyton Manning.

 

[listopencil]

The only positive I am seeing here is that Dulcich did appear to work to get open. I see him making plays where he is actively reading the Defense and making himself a target for the Quarterback. Fant didn't really do that. Fant seemed to want to run down the field and catch long balls like an outside WR. I still like Cade Otton and I'd be OK with taking him today and dumping Eric Tomlinson.

 

[Mingo]

The only positive I am seeing here is that Dulcich did appear to work to get open. I see him making plays where he is actively reading the Defense and making himself a target for the Quarterback. Fant didn't really do that. Fant seemed to want to run down the field and catch long balls like an outside WR. I still like Cade Otton and I'd be OK with taking him today and dumping Eric Tomlinson.

I was thinking - I wouldn't be real happy if I was Albert O - since he blocks better than Dulcich.

 

[PumpFake]

I was thinking - I wouldn't be real happy if I was Albert O - since he blocks better than Dulcich.

The TE room needed more talent. Time to compete. I like Otton, too, Listo. The next TE shouldn’t come until late in the draft, though, if at all. Bummed we missed out on M. Jones. I thought he checked a lot of boxes for the Broncos.

 

[listopencil]

I was thinking - I wouldn't be real happy if I was Albert O - since he blocks better than Dulcich.

Albert O is a better receiver than Dulcich too though. Substantially more fluid, better speed/acceleration, better body control, better hands. I think Albert O is our clear-cut #1TE. I'd like a young guy at the position that excels at blocking though.

 

[listopencil]

The TE room needed more talent. Time to complete. I like gotten, too, Listo. The next TE shouldn’t come until late in the draft, though, if at all. Bummed we missed out on M. Jones. I thought he checked a lot of boxes for the Broncos.

Remember a few years ago when our WR's were crap? Maybe it was 2019? And then we got an infusion of talent and cut the fat. And suddenly we had a strong group of WR's. I'd like to see our TE's go through the same process.

 

[megalodon30]

Remember a few years ago when our WR's were crap? Maybe it was 2019? And then we got an infusion of talent and cut the fat. And suddenly we had a strong group of WR's. I'd like to see our TE's go through the same process.

Trading Fant was step one. Drafting Dulcich step 2. It’s coming along. Just my opinion, but I think this time next year, we’ll be very happy with the TE position.

Of course having a HOF QB deliver them the ball helps a lot.

 

[listopencil]

Trading Fant was step one. Drafting Dulcich step 2. It’s coming along. Just my opinion, but I think this time next year, we’ll be very happy with the TE position.

Of course having a HOF QB deliver them the ball helps a lot.

When we traded Lock away it definitely occurred to me that we were getting rid of a problem. In retrospect I'm wondering about Fant, since he said in an interview that he felt like he wasn't being used to his potential. He kind of poo-pooed the short game. And it was kind of eye opening that Albert O and Saubert both looked pretty good in comparison.