School: Texas Tech
Position: EDGE
Year: Redshirt Senior
The Good: Tyree Wilson, to put it scientifically, is a freakazoid. At 6’6”, 271lbs with 35.625” arms and a Top 5 wingspan on record across all NFL Draft prospects (granted, wingspan measurements only go back a few years), Wilson is the definition of a “get off the bus” prospect. Wilson has proven on tape that he can overwhelm offensive linemen with his incomparable length and sheer size; his forced fumble against Kansas State was one of the most impressive plays of the college football season. Wilson has plenty of raw upper body strength, and he can contort his body to dip and bend well for a player of his stature. When there is nobody between Wilson and his target, he bursts with good closing speed too.
The Bad: I specify that Wilson has “closing speed” because he doesn’t play with much general speed; I think he’s actually lucking out with his foot injury because he showed up to the Combine to get measured and then opted out of all movement-based testing drills. Wilson isn’t smooth in his change of direction either, and he lacks explosion around the edge. Wilson’s explosiveness altogether is a huge concern; his get-off is really slow from every alignment and from there he plays top heavy without much leg drive. That doesn’t help him out defending the run, where Wilson is more likely to make a splashy run stop than routinely set a hard edge or stand up the blocker in front of him. His DC in the NFL will almost be starting from scratch with Wilson’s hand usage, and he’s not the surest tackler either.
The Bottom Line: I am…mystified by Tyree Wilson’s apparent Draft stock. Like on face level, this dude is about to turn 23, is nursing a broken foot, and had his breakout season as a fifth-year senior. And then I don’t even really like the tape from that season! From a standpoint of measurables, is Tyree Wilson a unique prospect? Absolutely; I already mentioned the wingspan tidbit. But from the standpoint of production – which is obviously more important – I feel like there are a few of these monstrous DE/DT hybrid types available every year now either by way of the Draft or free agency. And in recent Draft history, they haven’t panned out too well! (Looking at you, Payton Turner.) I don’t even like writing up Tyree Wilson as an EDGE because I barely view him that way anymore, and I think any team that drafts him with hopes of landing the next Chandler Jones will be disappointed. There is certainly value in having a player in your DL rotation who can take some snaps outside on early downs then kick inside to mismatch IOL players on every passing down, but in the Top 10 of the Draft?! Part of me is almost hoping that the chatter of Wilson going as high as Pick 3 to Arizona is a smokescreen; remember when Jermaine Johnson was getting projected to the Jets at Pick 4 as recently as the week of the Draft last year? (He went 26th and the Jets traded up for him.) I think Tyree Wilson can have a nice career, even with some serious development required in his immediate future, but man…the “bust” potential is uncomfortably high for me.
Grade: Second Round
Pro Comp: Charles Omenihu
Games Watched:
- Oklahoma 2021
- Mississippi State 2021
- Houston 2022
- NC State 2022
- Texas 2022
- Kansas State 2022
Epiblogue 