Raiders draft Tyree Wilson in first round of NFL Draft
The 2023 offseason has seen the Raiders get rid of their former franchise quarterback, trade away their franchise tight end, and make a ton of moves to try and improve the offense. They brought in guys who know how to run the system.The Raiders now need to find guys to implement into their system with […]
The 2023 offseason has seen the Raiders get rid of their former franchise quarterback, trade away their franchise tight end, and make a ton of moves to try and improve the offense. They brought in guys who know how to run the system.
The Raiders now need to find guys to implement into their system with this new regime, and find guys that they can use to build something special. They did that with their first overall pick, which came in at seventh overall.
Things started crazily in the 2023 NFL Draft, as the Arizona Cardinals traded their number three overall pick to the Houston Texans, giving them picks two and three. The Texans took C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., and the Colts took quarterback Anthony Richardson, allowing the Raiders to be set up to go with defense at their first pick, and grab Tyree Wilson
Tyree Wilson is one of the best pure pass rushers in this draft, which is something the Raiders definitely need. Sure, they already have Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby, but Jones didn't work out great last year and they need to start thinking about replacing him. Wilson can do just that this year and in the years to come.
He finished his last season with eight sacks and 32 hurries in one of the best conferences in football. The talent is there to be dominant. The Raiders need defense and they need a guy who can play in the 4-3 defense that Patrick Graham likes to run. Wilson is the pick here and it was a good one at that.
A to Z Sports' Tyler Browning evaluated Wilson and wrote the following:
Struggles to hold his own against double teams, and doesn’t effectively anchor in. Rides the momentum on stretch plays and is able to meet the ball carrier as he is trying to cut back. Capable of setting the edge. Able to generate some knockback. Has heavy hands, and keeps his feet driving when he is engaged with an offensive lineman. Hasn’t shown elite speed but has an impressive knack for converting speed to power.
Below is The Athletic's Dane Brugler's scouting report, as well:
A three-year starter at Texas Tech, Wilson played field-side edge rusher in defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s 3-3-5 base scheme and reduced inside as a 4i/4 technique or dropped into space. After two years at Texas A&M, he transferred to Lubbock and led Texas Tech in tackles for loss and sacks his junior and senior seasons (his 22.3 percent pass-rush win rate ranked top 10 in the FBS in 2022). Big, long and strong, Wilson plays with linear explosion and power to get blockers moving in reverse. In the run game, he needs continued refinement but uses his long arms to lock out and separate, and he displays impressive tackling range because of his wingspan and chase effort. Overall, Wilson plays too upright and needs to become craftier and more strategic in his pass rush, but his length, speed and raw power are outstanding foundational traits. His ascending tools are ripe for development, and he has Pro Bowl potential. He should be the first Texas Tech defender ever drafted in the top 20 picks.
