In 2022 I was writing about TX Tech WR Erik Ezukanma. I asked a few coaches and writers who cover the team who I should be paying attention to for the upcoming season. All of them suggested Tyree.
Not some or most.
Everyone did.
He was not remotely thought of as a top pick around the league at this time, but Texas Tech knew what they had, and what Tyree could become.
“There are two reputable NFL scouting groups who said if he duplicates what he did last year and adds to it, he could be projected as a mid-first round selection (in the NFL Draft).” Texas Tech HC Joey McGuire
Boy were they right.
Physically, Tyree was born to be an Eagle.
Standing 6’6 he boasts a ridiculous 86-inch wingspan.
To put that in perspective, Gannis is 7’3, 9 inches taller, and has an 87-inch wingspan.
Wilson is long, and tall, and uses all of those attributes to explode off the ball quickly.
Those long arms also generate power and force which he uses to
SWOOP at the Quarterback.
He also uses them to set the edge against the run.
His effort is non-stop and has been since he started playing.
High School
Tyree attended West Rusk High School where he played football for three seasons.
He filled the stat sheet with 11.5 sacks, 60 TFL (tackles for loss), and 249 total tackles.
His accomplishments earned him Class 3A second-team All-State selection by the Associated Press Sports Editor, first-team all-district, and District 9–3A Division-II Defensive MVP, just to name a few.
His play not only got the attention of local colleges but he was attracting national interest.
Before the start of his senior year, Tyree committed to play college football at Washington State.
He later decommitted and weighed his options which included more than 20 scholarship offers.
Offers from Houston, Florida, Kansas, Nebraska, Ole Miss, and in-state colleges Baylor, Texas, and TCU made the decision difficult, but he ultimately chose to stay in Texas and joined Texas A&M.
College:
Texas A&M
In 2019, as a freshman, Wilson played in 9 games but only played 132 snaps, totaling 7 tackles, 6 total pressures, 3 QB hurries, one QB hit, and 2 sacks on the season.
Frustrated, in 2020 he made the move to Lubbock Texas to play with the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Texas Tech
Once again he only saw action in 9 games but he increased his snap total to 388, and he also increased his QB hurries to 15 and tallied 2 sacks.
2021 would be when his hard work started to translate to more playing time on the field, and his dominance in taking over a game became apparent.
Tyree played in 13 games totaling 605 snaps, and the extra play only made him stronger. He finished the year with 26 QB hurries and 6 sacks while developing into being a key part of the Red Raider defense.
His ascension was apparent as was his production and durability.
Those 605 snaps led all defensive linemen, according to PFF (pro football focus)
The outlook for the 2022 season was promising and brought with it a new Head Coach. Someone who had been watching and admiring Tyree from another Texas college the last couple of seasons.
Joey McGuire, a super fan!
During his time at Baylor, Joey had paid attention to Tyree’s meteoric rise on the field and to his body.
“When you see the biggest human being around here today, that is Tyree Wilson walking around the stadium. When he goes to the NFL Combine he will have one of the widest wingspans ever”
The excitement was realized on the field as Wilson played in 10 games increasing his QB hurries to 32 and his sack total to 8 on the season despite playing 67 fewer snaps.
More production per snap coupled with year-over-year improvement has teams salivating to see how much better he can be and for a chance to draft him.
On to the Show
Tyree is expected to be a top-10 selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Attributes:
Above average acceleration
Off-edge burst is elite
Off-edge bend is above average
Strong, powerful core
Versatile
Instinctive
Locates the ball and attacks it
Rotated inside to the 3 tech, again a great fit as Philly loves to do this
If there is a weakness, it’s that it is hard for him to get low due to his hulking size
College Accolades:
2022: First-team All-American (The Athletic, FWAA)
2022: Second-team All-American (AP)
2022: First-team All-Big 12 (AP)
2022: Led Big 12 in tackles for loss (14.5)
2022: Second in Big 12 in sacks (7.0)
Texas Tech’s first first-team All-American since 2018
FBS Rank vs Qualified Edge Rushers:
0.100 points saved per rush (T-3rd)
0.064 points above average per play (3rd)
23.32 total points saved (4th)
15.07 total points above average (2nd)