Huard on Seahawks Draft: Why DE Tyree Wilson is being mocked at 5
Jan 24, 2023, 11:47 AM
Tyree Wilson of the Texas Tech Red Raiders hits Blake Shapen of the Baylor Bears on October 29, 2022. (Josh Hedges/Getty Images)
(Josh Hedges/Getty Images)
When the Seahawks’ top 2023 NFL Draft pick fell from third overall to fifth thanks to a Broncos Week 18 victory, some of the names in mock drafts started to change for Seattle.
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At No. 3, the most common names mocked to the Hawks were Georgia interior defensive lineman Jalen Carter and Alabama edge rusher/outside linebacker Will Anderson. Now that the Seahawks are picking fifth overall, many mock drafts have them selecting a different defensive lineman.
One of the more common names is Tyree Wilson of Texas Tech, who Bucky Brooks of NFL Network, for instance, has going to Seattle in his latest mock draft.
“Who is Tyree Wilson? And why is he gaining steam? Why do I keep seeing him being mocked to the Seahawks at No. 5?” Mike Salk asked former NFL quarterback Brock Huard during Tuesday’s Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports 710 AM.
Huard, who calls college football games for FOX Sports, had plenty to say about the Texas Tech standout, who was a first-team All-American in 2022.
“Because he is a unique physical talent,” Huard said.
This defense is relentless!!! @tyreewilson77 | #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/gMRSykEY1M
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) October 1, 2022
When discussing Wilson, Huard brought up a comment Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll made recently when discussing star 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel.
“He said about Deebo, ‘He’s just not normal, he does things that normal players cannot do,'” Huard said. “And that’s what I want. That’s what I want with as many of these picks – especially with the ‘Park Avenue’ fifth pick – that they have. And if they move down two spots, I still want that at seven or eight.”
With Wilson, he checks a lot of boxes when it comes to physical tools.
“Tyree Wilson is 6-foot-6, he’s got Go-Go Gadget arms for days, he’s 280 pounds,” he said. “I will be fascinated to see how he tests.”
Huard is interested in Wilson’s pre-draft and NFL combine testing numbers not only because of his size, but because he broke a bone in his foot late last season and had to “shut it down.”
“(NFL teams) will look at that, they will X-ray it, they will want to see all of that,” he said. “And his testing will be a big deal. Is he one of these guys that the tests out and runs 4.6 (seconds in the 40-yard dash) at 6-6 and 280? If so, he’ll be (picked) in the top five. If he runs 4.85, he may not be. I mean, that’s the difference.”
Just how important is that 40-yard dash time?
“A 40 time matters. A 40 time shows you that guy like (star Rams defensive lineman) Aaron Donald that just has a gear that’s faster than everybody else,” Huard said. “But (Wilson has) a frame that’s elite, he’s got a versatility over the last few years at Texas Tech that speaks for itself playing inside and outside in a 3-4 scheme, kind of a funky scheme.”
Huard also did some digging of his own to get insight on Wilson.
“I reached out to a coach that was on staff at (Texas) A&M where he originally committed – he was there for two years and then transfers to Tech for the last two-plus years – and he said, ‘Great kid. Great motor.'” he said. “And from that coach, that’s all I needed to hear because he’s not one of the fluffy guys. So you start checking a bunch of boxes with Tyree, but how he tests, how he jumps, how he broad jumps, his 40 time. Honestly, that will be the difference.”
Could Wilson wind up leaping over Anderson or Carter on draft boards?
“I mean, if his numbers are that extraordinary, maybe,” Huard said. “Last year, we saw the No. 1 pick in the draft, (defensive lineman) Travon Walker, go to Jacksonville … As far as like height and length and most things, there are some similarities. Now will (Wilson) test the way that dude did? Probably not. But those testing numbers and that combine, all eyes will be on Mr. Tyree, maybe as much as anybody at that combine.”
Listen to the full second hour of Tuesday’s Brock and Salk at this link or in the player below.
