INDIANAPOLIS — At one point, a reporter asked him to simply show off the wingspan. And so edge rusher Tyree Wilson, a Texas Tech product, spread his arms and flashed the 86-inch gap between his left and right finger tips.
It was an impressive display from the Alaska native whose father lives outside of Seattle. And if most mock drafts are correct — an enormous “if,” of course — there is an excellent chance those arms will be swallowing up quarterbacks for the Seahawks next season.
Whether it’s NFL.com or CBS Sports or USA Today — everyone seems to be projecting Wilson to Seattle with the No. 5 overall pick in April. It’s a defensive-lineman-heavy draft, with Alabama’s Will Anderson and Georgia’s Jalen Carter joining Wilson in the top five guesstimates (although the arrest warrant issued for Carter on Wednesday could seriously jeopardize that).
Nobody — not the mock drafters, the players, their agents or the general managers — has any idea how things will unfold once teams are on the clock eight weeks from now. We do, however, know Wilson is a dynamic talent with Northwest ties.
A quick primer on the 6-foot-6 22-year-old.
He committed to WSU in 2017
Speaking with the media Wednesday at the NFL combine, Wilson mentioned that his father, Jason, lives in the Seattle area. So when he got an offer from Washington State while at West Rusk High School in Texas, he jumped at the chance to join a Power Five program in his dad’s home state.
For a minute, at least.
“I just committed because it was the first big school that I got, and then after that, I de-committed and got a lot of offers,” Wilson said.
Among those schools offering was Texas A&M, where he played for two years before transferring to Texas Tech — the alma mater of the Seahawks’ leading tackler for the past two seasons, Jordyn Brooks. Wilson is well aware because …
He’d love to play with Brooks
Wilson was asked about a number of teams but answered such questions in general terms. When the Seahawks came up, however, he mentioned the middle linebacker who preceded him in Lubbock.
“Jordyn Brooks is another Texas Tech Red Raider, and a great linebacker,” Wilson said. “He’s a great dude, and I’d be excited to play with him.”
The two don’t have the deepest of relationships, as Brooks played at Texas Tech before Wilson arrived. As for his fellow pass rushers in the draft? Wilson might be a little closer with them. After all …
He trained with Will Anderson
Talented as Wilson may be, Anderson is considered the top edge rusher in the draft. But on Wednesday, the ‘Bama bruiser was complimentary of Wilson, who he worked out with at Exos Sports.
Said Anderson of Wilson: “He’s a phenomenal athlete. Athletic, moves really well, can bend really well. I’m excited about all the edge rushers. This is what we dreamed of little kids, and we get the opportunity and make dreams come true.”
So what might the Seahawks get if they get Wilson?
Well, the scouting reports have him as an NFL-ready lineman with plenty of upside. He’s as effective against the run as he is pursuing the quarterback (he had 14 tackles for a loss his senior year and seven sacks), and at 6-6 with a 7-2 wingspan, can make tackles that would seem out of reach for most other players.
And though he may not be as explosive as some of his first-round peers, the tape and stat sheet have proved his ability to disrupt in the trenches. The Seahawks need someone like that.
Seattle general manager John Schneider didn’t mince words Tuesday when asked about his team’s front seven at the combine.
“We need to get better up front,” Schneider said. “I think it was pretty evident. We were on the field a lot.”
More specifically, only the Panthers’ defense spent more time on the field than the Seahawks’ “D” did last season. Help is necessary. Is Wilson the answer?
This is speculation season in the NFL. We don’t know which position the Seahawks will address with their top pick, and we certainly don’t know the player.
But Wilson gives the appearance of a man who can make an immediate impact on a team that needs to add some dynamism if it wants to make a playoff run.
Wilson made a temporary commitment to WSU six years ago. Don’t be shocked if the Seahawks make a much firmer commitment to him in April.