The Seahawks are in a much different position than usual in the 2023 NFL Draft thanks to last offseason’s trade with the Denver Broncos.

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In addition to owning their own original first-round selection (20th overall), the Seahawks will be picking fifth overall due to Denver’s severe struggles in 2022.

One of the most common names tied to the Seahawks in offseason mock drafts is Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson, a 2022 first-team All-American.

Brian Jensen, who called all of Wilson’s games for the Red Raiders as Texas Tech play-by-play announcer, joined Seattle Sports 710 AM’s Wyman and Bob on Monday to discuss Wilson and his draft stock.

First off, is Wilson worthy of being picked in the first five selections come April?

“I don’t have any doubt whatsoever that he’s a top-five talent. He’s one of the guys that has really progressed in the Tech program after transferring from Texas A&M,” Jensen said. “He had three years with Tech and was pretty much all-world in his senior year and was a guy that overplayed a lot of times. What I mean by that is that he would go out and expectations would be that he would maybe handle the guy that was up against him – the tackle that he would go up against – and as it would turn out, he would completely dominate that tackle, even if the tackle was ranked very high. So I think Tyree is one of the guys that got a lot of attention as the season progresses because of those kinds of one-on-one matchups that he continuously won game in and game out.”

Was Wilson expected to be that kind of player heading into 2022?

“Yeah, he was expected this year to be the guy, and we were just thrilled that he actually came back for the season because there was some talk that he might try the NFL Draft the year before,” Jensen said. “He didn’t have quite the numbers (in 2021) that he had this year, and it’s a good thing that he did stay.”

In 10 games in 2022, Wilson had seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

This defense is relentless!!! @tyreewilson77 | #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/gMRSykEY1M

— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) October 1, 2022

So what does the 6-foot-6, 275-pound Wilson do best on the football field?

“One of his calling cards is that he does it all. I mean, he is a guy that has learned the position so well, especially this last year, that he’s taken his natural skill set and is able to bull rush if he needs to. And if that’s not working or if (he’s against) a tackle that works a little bit better one-on-one facing him, then he is going to do a move that’s going to get around him, and he’s got great speed,” Jensen said. “And so all of those things combined and the ability to adapt at what he needs to do to get to the quarterback has been a great progression for him.”

As far as Wilson’s weaknesses, Jensen would have said run defense ahead of the season, but not anymore.

“He became one of the best run defenders on the defensive line for Tech as well because he was similar to the (star Dallas Cowboys linebacker) Micah Parsons type of he’d run after the running backs going the opposite direction away from him and he’d catch him,” Jensen said. “That part of it really progressed.”

But there is one area of Wilson’s game Jensen thinks could use some work.

“I think he needs to work a little bit on just strength against the straight one-on-one bull rush, maybe,” he said. “I think just about anybody that comes out of college typically is going to need a little bit of that when they go up against these huge and very skilled offensive linemen that maybe in college were just one step slow or one step a little bit off. So I think that’s probably where his area of improvement is going to need to come as quickly as possible.”

One of the biggest topics when it comes to the NFL Draft is the type of person teams are drafting, especially with earlier picks. There’s no concern there with Wilson, Jensen said.

“He’s a super guy. He is the ultimate team player guy, the ultimate ‘the coach loves him’ guy because he does everything that he’s asked to do and more,” he said. “He’s one of those guys that was always in the weight room early, hung out late. I don’t really have anything that you would think would be a negative to say about him.”

Wilson also shows great leadership skills, Jensen said.

“He’s not a ‘rah rah’ guy, but at the same time, he is a leader and he’ll get in a player’s face or do whatever he needs to do to make sure that the guys next to him are playing at the level that he needs them to play,” he said. “And our defensive tackles actually progressed throughout the year, I think, as much because of him being there as what would be a natural progression for them.”

Listen to the full interview at this link or in the player below.

More on the Seahawks and the 2023 NFL Draft

• The top QBs, how deep the edge rusher class is, more
• Lance Zierlein’s thoughts on Will Levis, draft’s strengths
• NFL Draft expert Zierlein: Freaky defenders that fit Seahawks
• Why DE Tyree Wilson is being mocked at 5
• UCLA’s DTR could be this year’s Brock Purdy
• QB Will Levis to Seahawks? Brock & Salk react to Kiper’s mock draft

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