Tyree Wilson - NFL Mock Draft Roundup

The Atlanta Falcons continue to be among the least productive pass-rushing defenses in the NFL. Despite a couple of investments in edge rushers in last year's draft, the work isn't complete. Tyree Wilson offers explosive burst, flexibility, length, power, and versatility to provide another key pillar to build the defense around.

Atlanta supplements its pass rush with the selection of Tyree Wilson, who has elite size and the potential to become one of the best players to come out of this draft class.

The Lions must improve their defense, and that would entail obtaining some talent for the defensive line to complement Aidan Hutchinson on the edge. There's also a chance that the Lions could go after Bijan Robinson is available.

Tyree Wilson had a breakout '21 season in which he recorded seven sacks. He could fill out and become a five-technique in the NFL.

The Lions have the 18, so they can go with the proverbial Best Player Available here. Take the dynamic pass rusher, take some of the heat off Aidan Hutchinson, and look ... out.

Wilson is a long, athletic pass-rushing specialist. Music to the ears of GM Terry Fontenot.

J.J. Watt has ridden off into the sunset and the team needs some new building blocks up front on defense. Enter Wilson, a 6-foot-6 terror off the edge who seems to live in the opposing backfield.

Although the Cowboys could snag a running back or receiver here, building in the trenches with a potential top-10 pick is too enticing. Tyree Wilson can set the edge across from Micah Parsons and is only scraping his pass-rush ceiling with his suffocating wingspan.

Like many, I am fascinated by what the Seattle Seahawks will do with this pick. Could they draft a quarterback? Certainly. But I tend to believe that the Seahawks go in a different direction, addressing their defense in this first round and seeing if there is a way to position themselves for a quarterback in next year's draft, perhaps via a trade down, should Geno Smith struggle in 2023.

What might they draft instead? An EDGE who has moved up boards throughout the fall with the strength and power to play on the inside, but the power and motor to align on the outside. For example, his first-quarter sack this season against N.C. State, where he split a double team on the edge and worked his way to the QB, is a flash of what he can do on the outside.

His fit in Seattle might be ideal, as the Seahawks utilize some odd fronts so he can align as a DE in a three-man surface, but he can also kick outside in sub packages.

Tyree Wilson is a high-motor player who consistently finds his way into the backfield. He's still raw, but the physical tools are there, and when he puts it all together he is going to be a problem. The Seahawks could go QB here, but Geno Smith remains the best option. In the meantime, the team fixes its front seven.

Projected trade gives Seahawks a lot of choices here. Getting help up front on defense is one of them. So is trading down again to a team that needs a quarterback. And so is drafting a QB to have Geno Smith's backup and future successor.

Detroit has established an identity on offense, but its has to improve on the defensive side of the ball. Tyree Wilson is a raw, physical freak with an almost 86-inch wingspan and outstanding bend and athleticism for his size. He is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential.

In order to carry dead cap space equal to the GDP of a small country, Atlanta filled out its roster with a lot of cheap 1-year deals. As a result, while they have somewhere around $70 million in cap space (after they inevitably jettison Marcus Mariota) they will also have a LOT of holes to fill before the draft.

High on their list of internal re-signings and perhaps extensions include the right side of the offensive line, where Kaleb McGary - who posted a career best PFF grade of 86.6, including an elite 91.6 grade as a run blocker - is a free agent and Pro-Bowler Chris Lindstrom will need an extension. Whether they bring back one-year players like Rashaan Evans or Lorenzo Carter will likely depend on who they hire to replace Dean Pees. As it is, they will need to re-sign or replace McGary, Evans, Carter, Olamide Zaccheus at WR2, Isaiah Oliver at the slot corner, Erik Harris at safety, Elijah Wilkinson at LG, MyCole Pruitt at TE2 and even Bradley Pinion at P. That cap space will disappear fairly quickly.

Ideally, a March spending spree will allow Atlanta to focus on Best Player Available in April, but there is also no denying the need to add talent to the NFL's worst pass rush of the past 6-7 years. Tyree Wilson is a supremely athletic defensive lineman who will need to demonstrate enough quickness and athleticism to prove he can dominate the edge. Or perhaps Atlanta should just give up trying to find a pass rusher in the first round and go CB here. At this point, you could give Atlanta's edge rushers chainsaws and jet packs, and they still wouldn't be able to get to the quarterback.

The Lions finished the season with eight wins in their final 10 games, but their explosive offense papered over massive holes on the other side of the ball. They ranked last in the league in yards per play allowed (6.2) and opposing QBR (55.9); they had issues defending the run and the pass. Wilson, the top true defensive end in this class, would help both. He can use his burst at the snap to beat offensive tackles on passing downs or use his 6-foot-6 frame to hold up against the run. An edge-rushing duo of Wilson and Aidan Hutchinson would be formidable, with surprise rookie James Houston working in on obvious passing downs.

Plus, if Detroit plays its cards right, it could use the No. 18 pick on a cornerback -- this is a little too high to take one. And if you're curious about the quarterback position, general manager Brad Holmes likely will take a close look at this class and weigh each passer against veteran Jared Goff, who had a stellar second half of the season. (This pick is from the Matthew Stafford swap with the Rams.) In this scenario, though, the top three are off the board.

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