In Need of TE Depth, UCLA’s Greg Dulcich Meets w/ Packers

On paper, the tight end position for the Green Bay Packers appears to be fine.

The eventual return of Robert Tonyan will bring back a much-needed pass-catching element to this offense. Marcedes Lewis is still one of the best blocking tight ends in football, while we hopefully continue to see Josiah Deguara progress.

Meanwhile, Dominique Dafney provides another versatile H-back and blocking presence, with Tyler Davis showcasing that he can be a high-effort and willing blocker when given the opportunity. The Packers also signed move tight end Alize Mack early this offseason as well.

However, as we all know, the draft is about planning ahead, not just trying to plug holes for the upcoming season. And as we look ahead to 2023, tight end could be a major need, with Deguara as the only tight end under contract at the moment.

While you can easily argue that there are more immediate needs to fill early on, addressing tight end somewhat early in should absolutely be on Brian Gutekunst’s radar.

So with that being the case, one name to get to know is UCLA’s Greg Dulcich, who has met with over 20 teams, including the Packers, according to Ian Rapoport.

At the combine, Dulcich measured in at 6’4” – 243 pounds and posted a RAS of 8.23. This included a 4.69-second 40-yard dash, a 7.05-second 3-cone, and 10’02” on the broad jump—all elite scores among tight ends.

Dulcich has four years of playing experience at UCLA, although a bulk of his production came in the last two. He has been a dynamic pass-catching threat, catching 66 of his 106 targets at an impressive 18.8 yards per catch with 10 touchdowns during that span. He would finish the 2021 season ranking fifth in yards per catch among tight ends with 17.3, along with ranking eighth in YAC and 17th in YAC per catch.

Dulcich would spend 48% of his career snaps lined up in-line, according to PFF ($$), but he also has plenty of slot experience, spending 42% of his time there. He has spent some time on special teams with 193 career snaps, as well as over 600 as a run-blocker—an important element for any tight end on Matt LaFleur’s offense.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had this to say about the UCLA tight end in his pre-draft report:

"“Move tight end with some vertical talent who can’t be expected to add much as an in-line blocker. Dulcich is a long-legged, duck-footed runner who is faster than he looks, averaging 17.6 yards per catch for his career. He can improve as a route-runner but might have three-level potential as a pass-catcher. He’s urgent and determined, adding extra yardage after the catch. He has a decent catch radius and tracks it well, but lacks desired body control for tougher catch adjustments down the field.“"

Over at The Draft Network, Dulcich is ranked as the second-best tight end in this draft class by Kyle Crabbs—behind only Trey McBride. He could end up being selected anywhere from the mid to later portion of Day 2 of the draft.