As the 2022 NFL Draft draws near, news continues coming out about what prospects each team is supposedly targeting. In reality, little can be known at this point in the process. Outside observers have few ways to determine whether a team’s interest in a player is real or merely a smokescreen. However, one indicator of interest in a player could be a team’s decisions about who to bring in for a pre-draft visit. Physical NFL draft visits are limited to 30 players per team. Thus, it seems likely that a team would only use a visit on someone they have legitimate interest in.
One such player could be Georgia defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt. As reported by Josh Norris, the Packers recently decided to bring Wyatt in on a visit. With Green Bay looking to add a “twitchy” interior pass rusher, Wyatt could be a viable option at one of the team’s two first-round slots.
Devonte Wyatt Bio & Stats
As a senior in 2021, Wyatt recorded 39 total tackles, 18 solo tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles with the Georgia Bulldogs. He was voted All-America Second Team by the Associated Press and CBS. In addition, he garnered AP All-SEC Second Team and Coaches’ All-SEC First Team honors. At 24 years old, Wyatt strays outside Green Bay’s established norms in rookie age. However, his athletic testing was off the charts. Wyatt weighed in at 304 lbs. at almost 6’3″. At the NFL combine, he ran a fantastic 4.77 second 40-yard dash. In addition, he put up great numbers in the broad jump and 3 cone. Based on his athletic testing, Wyatt achieved an outstanding 9.56 score in the RAS, a system created to measure athleticism relative to other players in the same position group.
Outside of his age, Wyatt seems like a fantastic fit for Green Bay. To truly evaluate what he could bring, however, we must turn to his college tape.
Devonte Wyatt Film & Scouting Report: Run Defense
At Georgia, Wyatt often lined up over the guard in alignments such as a 3t or 2i. However, he also demonstrated some alignment versatility. At times, Georgia would line him up over the center or tackle. In virtually all of these situations, Wyatt produced high-level play against the run. Wyatt was not as dominant in run defense as his teammate Jordan Davis. However, he can still control single blocks using excellent hand placement, pad level, and a great base. Lined up as a 2i here, Wyatt uses his play strength to anchor and prevent any movement off the line of scrimmage.
In this next clip, Wyatt uses an excellent first step and good vision on the ball to establish a good position in his primary gap on the zone run, then sheds backside to make the tackle.
Wyatt also proved himself able to identify, absorb, and split double-teams from multiple alignments. As the 2i over the LG in the first clip here, Wyatt establishes first contact with his quick first step. Once engaged, he lowers his center of gravity to prevent knockback, then violently sheds the guard, reestablishes vision on the RB, and makes the tackle. In the second clip, Wyatt attacks one blocker, then plants his knee to establish a firm base while getting skinny between the blocks. Although unable to shed the OL on this snap, Wyatt holds the LOS and frees up the second-level defenders to make the tackle. In the third clip, Wyatt has moved to the 0t over the center. He plays a “lag” technique against Kentucky’s zone run, occupying the backside A gap. Again, he fails to give up any ground and allows his LBs to flow to the ball.
While he is capable of holding the LOS and playing a more patient style of run defense, Wyatt also has excellent penetrative ability. His combination of quickness and power can give offensive lineman fits. When Georgia freed him up to play aggressively, the result was often a loss for the offense.
Pass Defense
Although Wyatt flashed a great deal of disruptive ability, Georgia did not always use him in a pass-rushing role. At times he was tasked with using his athleticism in QB contain on pass-rush downs. The Bulldogs defense also relied on frequent stunts and DL games, leaving Wyatt unable to demonstrate his abilities in conventional pass-rush situations. Finally, Georgia tended to rotate their deep defensive line often. These factors combined to limit opportunities for Wyatt to rush the passer. When Georgia did put him in pass-rushing situations, Wyatt showed a great deal of promise. His processing ability, strength, explosiveness, and excellent hand usage allowed him to threaten the QB from a variety of alignments. In this clip, he uses a club-rip-spin combo to beat the right guard as a two technique.
In this next video, Wyatt recognizes the play-action and uses a powerful push-pull move to win from his 4i position.
Aligned as a 3t here, Wyatt wins with a swipe move. The speed he displays to elude the RB and close on the QB is impressive.
As a 4i this time, Wyatt takes an outside track against the tackle. Synchronizing his hands and feet, he uses a stutter-hop to draw an early punch from his opponent. Knocking the tackle’s hand away, Wyatt uses a long-arm and his excellent flexibility to round the corner. He finishes with a heavy-handed club, then tracks down the QB to assist with the sack.
Wyatt further solidified proof of his pass-rush ability at the Senior Bowl. He was able to win against opposing offensive lineman using power, explosion, and a variety of hand moves.
Conclusion
Although his age is a negative, Devonte Wyatt could be a valuable contributor to whichever team picks him. He has the technical excellence, size, and power to stand up against the run. His speed, hand usage, and strength make him a legitimate pass-rushing threat. Like many rookies, Wyatt may not contribute immediately. However, his physical traits and technical skills give him intriguing upside as a first-round pick. His age and experience may even be an advantage to a team in “win-now” mode like the Packers, allowing for an accelerated adjustment to the NFL. Regardless, Wyatt’s tantalizing traits present a tempting opportunity to bolster the Packers defensive line. Whether immediately or in the future, Wyatt could give Green Bay quality play alongside Kenny Clark.
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