2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Tyree Wilson (DE – Texas Tech)

As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Tyree Wilson.

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2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Tyree Wilson (DE – Texas Tech)

Tyree Wilson (DE – Texas Tech)

6’6″ – 275 lbs.

Background:

Three-star recruit who redshirted his first season at Texas A&M and then rotated into the defense for 11 games the next year. Ended up transferring to Texas Tech and was granted immediate eligibility, playing sparingly in 2020 before taking over a full-time starting role the following year. Posted 38-13.5-7.0 as a junior and was even more productive as a senior, finishing with 61-14.0-7.0.

Positives:

Has two seasons of solid production under his belt. Has excellent size and strength for a pro edge defender; really looks the part. Moves around the Red Raiders’ odd front, taking some snaps as a defensive end and some snaps out of a two-point stance. Can hold the point of attack when two-gapping in the run game. Pretty good discipline on the back side. Capable of making tackles while engaged. Rangier than anticipated, closes well and has a big wingspan to bring down ball carriers. Varies his rush approach to keep defenders off-balance. Shows impressive effort and physicality on a snap-to-snap basis. Covers a lot of ground with his first step. Jolts opponents on contact and can walk them back with his bull rush, showing good leg drive. Delivers a powerful straight arm to the chest/neck area. More flexible than is typical for a player of his size. Able to use a nice rip move and bend a smooth arc back to the passer. Capable of getting skinny and squeezing between blockers, sometimes with a spin move. Draws additional attention from opposing offenses.

Negatives:

Snap count reactions are closer to adequate. Pad level/center of gravity can sometimes be a little bit higher than you’d like. Doesn’t always get full extension with his arms to lock out defenders. Intermittent balance issues crop up. Would like to see him keep his shoulders square more consistently in the run game and play with more patience. Still needs to polish his repertoire of counters; tends to get stuck on blocks when his initial move isn’t successful. Probably not going to be able to drop into coverage with any frequency; looks like a pure strongside “elephant” backer if drafted into an odd front, being smaller than usual for a five-technique.

Summary:

Undoubtedly one of the top edge defenders in this year’s class, with a rare combination of size, power, explosiveness, and flexibility, holding the point of attack as a two-gap run defender and varying his rush approach to generate consistent pressure in the passing game. Those traits, coupled with the value that teams place on the position, should make him a high first-round pick on draft day.

Projection: Round 1