Bears Draft Target: Tyree Wilson |
With just two weeks to go until the free agency portion of the offseason begins, this is the slower part of the offseason as there isn't a ton going on. That is unless you are a fan of college and or the draft side of things, as the NFL Combine has been going on this week.
Hundreds of the best college prospects in the game show up to Indianapolis every year, where they spend several days going through a handful of tests for NFL scouts, coaches, and executives. As expected, Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus were in attendance as they spent a lot of time reviewing these prospects and what they can bring. One name that needs to be talked about more and should be is Texas Tech Edge rusher, Tyree Wilson. Not the talent that Will Anderson Jr or Jalen Carter are, Wilson has been in contact with the Bears already this offseason and has now met with the front office on two separate occasions. That leads me to believe that the Bears are not only interested in drafting Wilson, but may have made up their mind about keeping or trading away the No. 1 overall pick. While you love hearing about a player meeting with a team several times, it is worth noting that Wilson loved the meeting and had a great connection with the Bears top brass. Although Texas Tech didn't have the greatest season last year, Wilson played outstanding and earned All-Big-12 honors. The 6-6 275-pound Wilson has excellent size for an edge rusher and has put on an athletic show on several occasions. He is coming off a season where he registered 61 tackles for a loss and seven sacks in 10 games before having his season cut short due to a foot injury. Wilson has desirable size and looks like the type of prospect who would fit in nicely in the Matt Eberflus-Alan Williams defensive scheme. The Bears desperately need that, as their defense was horrendous if we are putting it lightly. When you have a chance to watch his film, Wilson is a Long-limbed defender who figures to turn into a full-blown nightmare for opponents if he continues to grow into both his frame and his game. Wilson’s combination of traits and athleticism should yield flashes of dominant play in both phases as he gets bigger and stronger. Not only does he have the size for an EDGE rusher, but he has a massive wingspan and uses that very well to his advantage. This guy knows how to get after the QB but is also a menace against the run and has a knack for blowing up running plays before they get going. Another thing he does better than most EDGE players is having the ability to guard a TE. There were even instances where he took the TE out of the play, which can drastically alter an offensive game plan. One of the significant concerns about Wilson right now has to be the foot injury and how healthy he is. He has said he feels great and appears 100%, but no one will know until the season starts. Despite using his arms to his advantage, Wilson needs to get better with his hands to unlock his next level as a pass rusher. The more skilled he is with his hands, the easier it will be for him to shed blocks and get into the backfield. You also saw cases where he was very timid trying to attack a blocker, and he will need to be more aggressive in the NFL. All things considered, Wilson is an under-the-radar prospect who is getting Ezekiel Ansah comparisons. Should he become close to what Ansah is, any team would be lucky to have him, and perhaps the Bears have made it a point to target him, depending on how the draft plays out.
