Five Play Prospect: Gators LB Derek Wingo Scouting Report

As the GatorMaven "Five Play Prospect" series continues - breaking down each of Florida's early signings with a five play scouting report - it's time to take a look at one of the Gators' more versatile and impactful signings.

Florida’s most likely impact recruit is linebacker Derek Wingo. The St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) star will have a chance to earn immediate playing time in Gainesville. Very few prospects possess the natural football instincts and athletic ability that Wingo provides. That’s why he was one of the top recruits in the country.

Two years after making a full transition from quarterback to his hybrid position in St. Thomas Aquinas' defense - rushing the passer in two and three-point stances, and dropping into coverage - Wingo leaves for Gainesville with 101 total tackles, 24 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, two defended passes, and two forced fumbles.

Wingo earned Gatorade's 2019-20 Florida Player of the Year award within two seasons after flipping sides of the ball. The game is just natural to him.

Film Room

During this first play, Wingo busts through the line almost completely untouched.

So why is this play highlighted? Because watch Wingo’s closing speed. If a linebacker will make an immediate impact within the SEC, that linebacker better possess the speed to do so.

Wingo can flat out run, and that speed is going to prove vital as he begins to play off the ball on a more consistent basis. Florida missed the explosiveness of Vosean Joseph at linebacker in 2019. Perhaps Wingo will eventually provide what he once did to the Gators.

During this next play, Wingo comes off the edge against a very talented offensive tackle in Woody Jean (Arizona signee) for Deerfield Beach. Wingo displayed his quickness, his ability to bend, and his rip move against the 6-4, 287 lb. tackle. An absolutely textbook edge rush from the stout pass rusher.

During the state title game versus Orlando Edgewater, this play showed Wingo’s talent, physicality, and hustle.

Though he is double-teamed at his initial point of contact off the edge, Wingo drives through the blocks, keeps after the quarterback and makes the sack after a spin move.

Another aspect of this play worth commending is Wingo's contact balance for his size. Normally, undersized pass rushers would get blown up on a double team or with hands on their back, but not Wingo. Despite his stout stature, he's as strong as they come and has a low center of gravity that allows him to maintain balance through contact.

A sign of an instinctive linebacker comes from one that immediately diagnoses a play, and then makes a tackle. During this clip, Wingo not only diagnoses the play, but he shoots the gap of the offensive guard that was pulling and runs down the running back from the back side.

It’s a risky maneuver because he undercuts the guard, but Wingo’s speed allows him to take chances like this. To be successful at Florida, especially against power running teams like Georgia, this play could be a sign of things to come.

Finally, one of the most important decisions a linebacker must make in today’s college football world comes against the read option.

Wingo balances his distance between the running back and the quarterback, essentially taking both. This is a tricky proposition. If Wingo oversteps towards the running back, the signal caller will go right around him towards the sideline.

This is a great job by Wingo to keep his edge responsibility while also keeping the quarterback off guard and eventually tackling him.

Final Thoughts

Wingo is a rare prospect. Instinctive, athletic, and simply a playmaker. It would be surprising if Wingo did not participate with Florida’s special teams units from game one on, and he certainly will find his way onto the field on defense.

The biggest question with Wingo will be which specific position will he focus on playing? He played quite a bit of defensive end for St. Thomas Aquinas, but that’s not his fit for college because he would be very undersized. He's projected to slide in at middle linebacker, but Florida can afford to move him around.

One thing the Gators could do would be placing Wingo in blitz packages during obvious passing situations. Perhaps this will be how they introduce the freshman linebacker into college football. Let him learn the scheme, and he will eventually find his way into the rotation of the regular lineup.

It’s still a safe bet that Wingo becomes a stalwart for the Gators. It’s just a matter of when, not if, he does become a really good player.