Derek Wingo Will Make An Immediate Impact at Florida
Learning playbooks, formations, and overall schemes oftentimes hinder true freshman linebackers (or any true freshman) to the point that they can only be situational players if they're able to make their way onto the field.
In the case of Derek Wingo, Florida might have found a player that can come in and contribute significant minutes from day one.
To begin, few high school football programs prepare a player for the college level like St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale. One of the best programs in the country, STA routinely makes national top 20 rankings, and wins state titles. Everything about the program pushes players to be their best.
The leader of STA's 2019 team was Wingo. Perhaps that’s the biggest thing STA instills within its players for the long haul - leadership qualities.
Leadership
I stood a few feet away from STA as they were coming out of the tunnel to play Orlando Edgewater High School for the Florida 7A State Championship.
The player to lead the group onto the field? Wingo. The player leading the chant as STA players got hyped up? Wingo. The player standing next to STA head coach Roger Harriott at the front of the players? Wingo.
That’s just the beginning.
Watching warm-ups, coach Harriott sought out Wingo and spoke to him. It was easy to tell Wingo was a player he entrusted with the STA defense. They had an obvious bond. Considering how much Wingo was active talking to other players and coaches during warm-ups, one gains the perspective he’s a bit of a coach on the field. That’s rare for the high school level. And it certainly paid off versus Edgewater.
Edgewater sliced STA’s defense apart during the first quarter and a half. No way around it, Edgewater punched STA in the mouth. At one point, Edgewater was up 14-0 playing power football, with two quarterback-lead plays going for long touchdowns to produce the game’s first two scores. That’s when Wingo and the STA defense started to play much better.
Wingo started blitzing and making plays in the backfield. He had two sacks before the final quarter even began, and his level of play, overall, improved dramatically against the run, too. When Wingo made a big play, STA defensive players fed off of his energy. In the end, STA made a dramatic comeback to win the championship 27-23. Wingo was a big part of that comeback.
Speed
Onto his primary attributes, Wingo fits the mold of an SEC linebacker. He's somewhat undersized, but he can fly!
Wingo does some of his best work off the edge, as he will shift from his inside linebacker position to outside linebacker and go after the signal caller. He’s adept at smashing a running back in pass protection or maneuvering around a much larger offensive lineman.
Look for Wingo to be a part of Florida’s nickel package early on in his career. It would be a great way for Wingo to be brought along in Florida’s defense. At the very least, he will be used in a blitzing role early on.
Playing in Space
While Wingo runs so well to the quarterback, he’s also capable of running down a play from the backside. Whether it’s a jet sweep or an off-tackle counterplay, Wingo can fill the hole even if the play is run away from him.
When taking on running back groups like the one Georgia head coach Kirby Smart seemingly sends in waves in Athens, or taking on a spread attack like LSU with dynamic playmakers such as running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Florida needs to continue to sign linebackers that can tackle in the run game or track down athletes in short passing game.
Because of the popularity of spread offenses, players like Wingo become invaluable. It's truly difficult to find players with such a diverse skill set.
During his time in Gainesville, expect him to turn into a chess piece for Florida's defense. He could line up inside or outside, hand in the dirt or as a standing rusher. He can even drop back in coverage.
Wingo is a smart young man and he’s capable of picking up the playbook in an effort to be versatile. During the video below, it displays Wingo challenging the quarterback or running back from different positions.
Size
This is the one area that could be good and bad. Against a down-hill rushing attack like Georgia, Wingo will need to find his niche. He’s obviously not going to overpower 320 lbs. offensive linemen, but he could find a way around them and create negative plays.
Wingo is probably about 210-pounds right now. 6-1, maybe 6-2, He has the frame to fill out to 230-pounds, without a problem. Still, it will be important that Wingo maintains his speed. Luckily for Wingo, that should be no problem for Florida's strength and conditioning coach, Nick Savage.
Final Thoughts
Look for Wingo to play early for Florida. He’s not your normal freshman linebacker. His talent, maturity, leadership, and experience of playing for such a great high school program all led him to being such a high profile recruit.
Overtime, Wingo's versatility and athletic profile will increase his role and make him a dynamic threat on Florida's defense. And early on, expect the Gators to utilize his skills.