Seahawks Draft Profile: Upside, concerns with Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson

In the early stages of the offseason, the No. 1 most-mocked player to the Seattle Seahawks was Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson.

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While that has slowed down at least somewhat, Wilson is still a popular name for the Seahawks in many mock drafts, and the Big 12 standout was the focus of Brock Huard’s draft profile on Friday’s Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports.

Wilson, who is 6 foot 6 and 270 pounds, certainly has some special size that NFL teams are almost certainly looking for.

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

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

“Those are real numbers. That is angular, that is long,” Huard said.

Huard didn’t get to see Wilson in person during his duties calling college football games for FOX Sports, but he did watch him closely throughout the season. That includes when Texas Tech faced TCU, which made it to the College Football Playoffs and title game this past season.

“That dude absolutely wrecked the game. They could not block him. Some NFL-caliber lineman at TCU, as well – late-round picks,” Huard said. “… They were some good players and they could not handle Tyree Wilson. He punctured the line in the run game, he collapsed the backside run support. He had 50 pressures this year.”

In addition to being a big-bodied edge rusher at 6-6 and 270 pounds, Wilson’s length is a big deal as he has 35 5/8-inch arms.

“So 6-6 looks like 6-8. And then when he extends (his arms) and he gets his hands on you, it is a problem,” Huard said of Wilson.

While Wilson’s size and play in 2022 certainly intriguies Huard when it comes to the Seahawks taking him early in the first round, he did have two notable concerns.

One was that Wilson, who did suffer a late-season foot injury last year, didn’t work out at the NFL Scouting Combine or at a pro day. Huard said he reached out to folks in the NFL who didn’t have any workout numbers for Wilson.

“I guess his agent and his people feel very comfortable (with what he’s already done),” Huard said. “The other concern I have … (the draft is) a guessing game, and it’s about projecting what’s ahead.”

What Huard means by that is that while Wilson played well in 2022, that was most of his college production, whereas Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson – an expected top-five pick – had elite production in college.

“Tyree was really a one-hit wonder this year (with) 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks, 61 tackles – and that was, by the way, just in 10 games. So if he plays a full slate, he gets to double-digit sacks and 17 or 18 tackles for loss and maybe it’s 60 pressures,” Huard said. “He was an all-conference performer this year, a second-team All-American. And that was really about it.”

Wilson started his college career at Texas A&M in the SEC for two years – which included a redshirt year as a true freshman – before going to Texas Tech.

“He had to leave the SEC to go to the Big 12 where Big 12 offensive lines are not SEC offensive lines. And then even in the Big 12, it took him two years to kind of find his footing,” Huard said. “… It really wasn’t until this last season you felt the full brunt force and talent of Tyree Wilson coming to life.”

“If they were to trade down (and) take him, if they were to take him at five, I don’t hate it,” Huard later added. “I just don’t know if he’s got enough umph, if he’s got quite enough just Seahawk in him.”

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