Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics
Dontayvion Wicks Selected by Packers in 5th Round of the NFL Draft
Virginia wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 159th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon.
In his first season as a starter at UVA in 2021, Wicks emerged as a star with 57 receptions for nine touchdowns and 1,203 receiving yards, surpassing Herman Moore for the UVA program single-season receiving record. Wicks earned First-Team All-ACC honors and was a midseason addition to the Biletnikoff Watch List that season.
The 2022 season saw a significant drop-off in production for Wicks, who uncharacteristically struggled with drops and was routinely not on the same page as Brennan Armstrong, as both quarterback and receiver struggled to adapt to a new offensive system. Wicks finished with just 430 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 30 receptions and missed the last two games with an injury before UVA's season was shut down.
Still, Wicks showed flashes of his tremendous route-running, pass-catching, and playmaking abilities throughout the season and drew the interest of multiple NFL franchises during the pre-draft process. Ultimately, Wicks became the first Cavalier to be selected by the Green Bay Packers since Aaron Brooks in 1999. Wicks is the fourth UVA wide receiver to be selected in the NFL Draft since 2000, joining Billy McMullen (2003), Marques Hagans (2006), and Joe Reed (2020).
With Wicks entering the ranks of the National Football League, there are four active wide receivers from Virginia in the NFL: Olamide Zaccheaus (Eagles), Joe Reed (Bears), Ra'Shaun Henry (Falcons), and Dontayvion Wicks (Packers).
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