Tyree Wilson Presents Unique Choice for Cardinals
If you have followed All Cardinals in either text or video form (go give our YouTube page a sub), you have been hounded with “there can’t be a bad scenario” for the team in April’s draft. Somehow, someway, the worst possible scenario has found its way into the universe.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network is known for having rather accurate mocks that are based on one thing, information. He has more information than most due to his ties to NFL teams from his time being a scout for the Ravens. He is someone that people should both respect and listen to when he speaks or writes.
While that still applies, what he has heard has me horrified as a Cardinals analyst who wants to see this team improve.
Cardinals Play the Long Game in Recent Mock
As mentioned, Jeremiah had his most recent mock draft published on Tuesday, and a part of it was a pick we hadn’t really seen for the Cardinals.
Jeremiah had the first edge coming off the board and it isn’t Will Anderson Jr. but rather Tyree Wilson. The Texas Tech edge rusher put up impressive numbers during his career and has an imposing physical build to go with it. Listed at 6’6”, 275 pounds, Wilson looks the part of an NFL edge rusher whereas the question surrounding Anderson Jr. is can a slender-built edge dominate the NFL remains unanswered.
Jeremiah states his reasoning for the pick being “there’s a lot of love for Wilson around the league. His combination of size, length and production has teams very intrigued.”
All of that makes sense in terms of the reasoning behind the pick. The issue is when you watch Wilson on film you can’t help but notice a lack of consistency. If there is one thing the Cardinals can’t afford right now, it's inconsistency.
Despite that, there are some positives to go with the negatives of this pick.
What Does the Film Say on Tyree Wilson?
You have heard what the NFL sees with Tyree Wilson, now is time for what the film tells us. When I watched Tyree Wilson the positives that popped off for me were the following:
- Size to Dominate
- Plays with an Edge
- Can Play with Hand in Dirt or Standing Upright
The size is something that any coaching staff would love to have and coach up. Yes, I mentioned inconsistencies in his film and honestly, that has to do with his size. He relies on it far too often and when he faces other large offensive tackles is when he struggles. In the NFL, every tackle is big - hence my apprehension about the pick here.
The two other traits he has though are what will give me hope for him in the NFL.
He does play with an edge, a fit of anger almost that has him playing like each rep on his way to salvation somehow. It is an extreme picture to paint but it is something that makes him fun to watch at times because the effort is always there. The other side is the versatility to play either defensive end or outside linebacker. While his pass coverage ability will mean he will likely be playing with his hand in the dirt that doesn’t affect him too much.
While it serves as a unique pick, it won’t be an awful one. You have to remember, J.J. Watt was booed by Texans fans on draft night because they wanted Robert Quinn out of North Carolina. While it is an extreme example, it is one where no matter what happens on draft night, Cardinals fans have to trust new general manager Monti Ossenfort.
