What do you want for Christmas (Draft Day)?

[George Cumby]

Dear Santa,

I believe I have been a good boy this year. I've done my best to not pull Tank's hair or stick my finger in Tex's piggy little eyes. I've mostly succeeded. Mostly.

I haven't even put Scharpcheddar on 'ignore', believe me, I've been tempted.

I am asking you to please deliver a Specimen of Tight End. Big, Fast, Strong, Athletic. A match-up nightmare for the other team. Too fast for linebackers, too big for safeties.

I'm fucking begging you, Santa.

Please.

[Joemailman]

JALEN WYDERMYER
TE, Texas A&M

6'5" 265e lbs
ANALYST'S REPORTS

Jalen Wydermyer is a playmaker at the tight end position whose game will surely translate to the next level. Wydermyer had immediate success at Texas A&M as he started as a true freshman and earned Freshman All-American honors. Physically, Wydermyer is exactly what you want at the tight end position with outstanding size and very good overall athleticism. His bread and butter are his ability to win as a receiving tight end. He offers a huge frame and an extremely large catch radius to give his quarterback an easy target. Wydermyer has good body control and displays natural hands and catches the ball cleanly. He is a build-to-speed runner who lacks an explosive burst but can cover ground with a long stride. Wydermyer is a good route-runner, showing suddenness at the top of the stem and good flexibility to open up and change direction. Wydermyer is very good after the catch with quickness and change of direction and also offers power when breaking tackles. In the run game, Wydermyer could stand to add strength as he rarely generates movement at the point of attack. He needs to continue to work on his hand placement as a blocker and keeping his pad level low to work leverage. While there is room for improvement as a blocker, you cannot question his effort and willingness to work.

Ideal Role: Starting tight end that’s best used as a move piece at the next level rather than a full-time “Y”.

Scheme Fit: A spread offense that can utilize his versatility.

FILM EVALUATION

Written by Brentley Weissman

Games watched: Alabama (2021), Kent State (2021), Mississippi State (2020) Arkansas (2020)

Best Game Studied: Arkansas (2020)

Worst Game Studied: Alabama (2021)

Hands: Wydermyer displays good hands overall as a pass-catcher. He is a very natural hands-catcher and can turn and contort his body to make catches away from his frame. He is excellent at high-pointing the football and making contested catches. There are times you see a concentration drop, particularly over the middle, but this is certainly an area of strength for Wydermyer.

Route Running: Wydermyer may lack explosiveness but he is a good route-runner. He is a savvy route-runner who understands how to work leverage and create separation at the top of the route. He’s a smooth athlete who displays wiggle at the top of his route and is creative at the stem.

Versatility: The Aggies coaching staff utilized Wydermyer in a ton of different roles. You see him aligned as a traditional “Y” on the line of scrimmage, as an “F” detached from the line, and even as a slot or split out wide. He has a very intriguing skill set as a receiver to excel from anywhere and can be a mismatch at the next level.

Competitive Toughness: Wydermyer consistently shows good competitive toughness as he leaves it all out on the field both as a receiver and a blocker. He is tough to bring down as a receiver with the ball in his hands, refusing to go down by arm tackles and always keeping his feet moving upon contact. As a blocker, even when he is lined up against stronger players, he never gives up and always works to the whistle.

Ball Skills: Wydermyer has excellent ball skills and body control. He is a nightmare to defend in the red zone as he offers a huge frame and catch radius with the ability to jump up and high-point the football. He has excellent body control to contort his body and locate the football to come down with the reception.

Blocking: An area of improvement for Wydermyer would be his ability as a blocker. He has just average power at the point of attack and gets knocked backward against players who have power. His technique is just average and he misses with his hands far too often. Because of his height, he plays with poor leverage and is forced on his heels quickly. He does show excellent effort and a willingness to block, however, and has good size and frame to wall off defenders.

Football I.Q: Wydermyer shows a good understanding of leverage as a route-runner and how to create separation. He can find the soft spot in zone coverage and knows when to sit and make himself available for his quarterback. He could get better a processor in the run game.

RAC: Wydermyer is very good after the catch with his long stride, creativity with the ball in his hands, and power. Once he is in the open field, he gains yards fast and is an extremely physical runner who is a load to bring down. He has very good instincts with the ball in his hands and can make defenders miss with ease.

Pass Blocking: Wydermyer isn’t asked to pass block a ton, but when he is he does so at an above-average level. Lacking a firm anchor and consistent hand placement, defenders can work him inside with a bull rush and he will give ground. As stated, he will work to stay square and battle to the bitter end, which oftentimes allows the quarterback just enough time to get the throw off.

Big Play Ability: Wydermyer averaged nearly 13 yards per reception over his three-year career with the Aggies and was consistently a big-play threat. Having run primarily vertical routes from a detached position, he displays good speed to stress the seam of the defense with an outstanding radius to secure the ball. In the red zone, his size, length, and ball skills allow him to be a complete mismatch and 50/50 balls are very rarely 50/50.

[Joemailman]

TREY MCBRIDE
TE, Colorado State

6'4" 260 lbs

Trey is a 4th year Senior who aligns at TE for the Rams offense. He is a good athlete with regards to agility and movement skills. In the run game, he's not an over powering inline blocker but he plays with physical toughness at the point of attack. In the passing game he has excelled as the primary receiving target for that offense. He does a good job uncovering and plays with sufficient straight line speed. His football instincts makes him effective against zone defenses. He displays good, strong hands to make catches away from his frame. He has enjoyed success as the primary target on offense and has been extremely productive. On 3rd downs, he is a versatile asset that displays the skill set to align at H, FB, TE or Y. His toughness, speed and agility projects him well as a core special teams player.

Ideal Role: Y or F

Scheme Fit: Spread offensive scheme, multiple offense

FILM EVALUATION

Written by Drae Harris

Games watched: SDSU (2021), SJSU (2021), UNM (2021)

Best Game Studied: UNM

Worst Game Studied: SDSU

Hands: He has good hands and catch radius. He easily catches the football when contact is imminent. He doesn't allow the ball to get into his frame and has very strong mitts to pluck the football out of the air.

Route Running: Theres noting glaringly deficient with his ability as a route runner. He certainly has the speed and agility to separate. However with regards to nuance in the position, I feel like McBride still has room for improvement to maximize his separation

Versatility: This players versatility may be his strongest attribute. He is equally proficient at aligning at Y, F, H or FB. He also projects as a good core special teams player, as well.

Competitive Toughness: He displays good competitive toughness, particularly as an inline blocker. He is also good in contested catch situations, showing competitiveness as well. His functional strength is effective for playing in tight alignments and working in the box.

Ball Skills: He has good ball skills along with outstanding hand eye coordination. He does a good job tracking the deep ball. He also shows good hands to secure the catch and his catch radius is going to provide his quarterback with a big target.

Blocking Skills: McBride is a willing inline blocker. He is not overpowering but does a good job of holding the point of attack to stay sticky and engage in defensive linemen when called upon to occupy.

Football IQ: He plays with good IQ. He is instinctive and crafty as a route runner. He also shows his IQ to not run into zone coverage underneath; instead choosing to sit down and make himself available to his quarterback.

RAC Skills: He has proven through his big plays that he has value after the catch. He is a good athlete who will threaten the defense with his elusiveness in space

Pass Protection: He is a willing pass protector. He is physically tough and competitive which helps him where he lacks true technique in pass pro.

Big Play Ability: He is a big play TE who has been extremely productive. He has been their primary receiver and the person their offense runs through.

[Upnorth]

Te or nose tackle. Only if pro bowl caliber.

Then a day 2 ilb to replace Campbell.

[texaspackerbacker]

I don't think TE is the biggest need. Tonyan if healthy probably is better than those mentioned or most others in the draft and we have plenty of depth.

We need help in the D Line and ILB, but the biggest need IMO is OLB.

Also, I want a new kicker in maybe the 5th or 6th round (maybe both) - somebody similar to MacPherson of the Bengals.

[Joemailman]

Tonyan has an ACL tear and will be a free agent.

But there aren't any TE's in this draft likely to be 1st round picks. The 2 I listed are likely 2nd round picks.

[call_me_ishmael]

WR, TE, DE, OLB, MLB, T.

[texaspackerbacker]

Tonyan will come back strong and be better than a 2nd round pick. I don't have a very high opinion of Deguara, but as our second TE, he's decent. Probably Lewis will be back too.

I doubt a second day pick would be an adequate replacement for Campbell, but I say again, Campbell likely will not be gone.

[oldbutnotdeadyet]

A cap get out of jail/hell free card?

[Bossman641]

A game wrecking DL and a mid round WR who plays above their draft position. I'd also like a serviceable ILB.

[run pMc]

Everywhere except IOL and outside corner. Better choices in R3.
BPA, although what happens with Rodgers, Adams and the cap will drive all roster moves including the draft.

[Joemailman]

Great football players.

[Fritz]

A game wrecking DL and a mid round WR who plays above their draft position. I'd also like a serviceable ILB.

This right here.

[Sparkey]

I want to watch us make three QUALITY picks in the first round.

[Joemailman]

A game wrecking DL and a mid round WR who plays above their draft position. I'd also like a serviceable ILB.

Heard some good things about Devonte Wyatt at senior bowl practices. https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/devonte-wyatt/9E9Ims6ZN9

Wyatt was great at practices but will not play in game due to injury. Seen right now as likely 2nd round pick.


"Devonte Wyatt was probably the most consistent performer on that defensive front. And he’s a little more of a 3-technique," McShay said on the First Draft podcast. "He can get off blocks. He can penetrate up the field. When you look at his size he’s 6-foot-3, 317 pounds, so pretty close to prototypical size, 39 tackles, really good and active versus the run. When you watch Georgia over and over again, he’s the kind of guy that’s always reaching havoc and is pushing quarterbacks off their spot. The production is there, the size and agility is there. … Of a great defensive line group (he) may be the best in this year’s class at the Senior Bowl this season."

[Fritz]

Sounds good to me. 317 pounds and strong. Imagine him and Kenny Clark pushing that pocket...

[run pMc]

I think with Keke gone, and Lowry a possible cap casualty they have to look at what seems to be a good DL class for inexpensive help.