Luke Getsy is about to take center stage for the Chicago Bears as he coaches the American team down at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. It is a golden opportunity. That event routinely produced dozens of future draft prospects, with a handful almost always becoming quality NFL starters. Braxton Jones is already proving that for the Chicago Bears. His Senior Bowl showing last year went a long way in getting the team to draft him. Now he’s their uncontested starting left tackle. One can’t understate how valuable Getsy’s presence can be this coming week.
That raises an interesting question. When looking at the roster he will work with for the next several days, is there anybody that stands out as someone the young coach would immediately gravitate to? One must remember Getsy is a former wide receivers coach. That position has been his bread and butter since he started making a name for himself in the NFL a few years ago. When looking at the American team’s array of options, one name stands out as a possible “Getsy guy.”
Dontayvion Wicks of Virginia. Here’s his scouting report from The Draft Network for an idea of why.
“Wicks is a dynamic weapon as a vertical receiver. He features exceptional ball skills and the ability to stack corners with the speed necessary to get behind them. His success as a route-runner begins with a nuanced release package that quickly enables him to get on top of corners and separate. His ability to win down the field enables him to threaten his stems with vertical push and it opens up so much for him as a route-runner. He does well to vary his pace and run deceptive routes. Wicks has top-tier ball skills and his ability to locate, track, and adjust to the football in the air is outstanding. He has shown the ability to dominate in contested situations and his quarterback has no reservations about “throwing it up” to him. His body control is terrific. Wicks is ultra-competitive and tough on the football field and brings the fight as a blocker and with how he plays through contact.“
Luke Getsy seeks two critical traits in his receivers.
Most will assume he prefers size and speed, like most generic answers. That is not the case. History shows he often likes guys that can do two things. They can run sharp routes and are capable blockers in the running game. See Davante Adams, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Allen Lazard in Green Bay for examples. Speed is great, but it’s hardly what determines a great receiver in this offense. Plenty of fast guys have failed to do anything in the NFL. It is far more about the nuanced route running. The blocking part is key for a zone-running system like Chicago’s.
Wicks won’t win many foot races. It doesn’t matter. He’s smooth in and out of his breaks, always creating enough separation to give his quarterback a good throwing window. He attacks the ball in the air and is dangerous after the catch, thanks to his underrated strength. Throw in a violent disposition as a blocker and you have somebody Luke Getsy will have a hard time ignoring. Wicks is currently projected to go somewhere in the 4th or 5th round range. If he performs up to his ability this coming week, that will probably change.
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I haven’t watched the senior bowl in years but I’m going to watch this one. I’m very interested to see how Getsy tweaks his offense so these kids can learn it in a week. If he can adjust his play calling to highlight the strengths of these players. Teams that are thinking about interviewing him for head coaching jobs in the future will be paying attention. The spotlight is always on the players but this also a big opportunity for Getsy.
I know everything there is to know about Wicks being a UVA guy. I’ve met the guy even. He had a great 2021 season but People will wonder why his production dipped last year. Last year UVA brought in a new staff that shifted from an air raid/spread type offense to a pro style offense and it really affected Brennan Armstrong the QB. BA couldn’t run it, evident by having some of the best QB numbers in 2021 to having terrible numbers in 2022. He was awful last year. Then on top of that, the UVA shooting happened killing 3… Read more »
This is the kind of article I read Sports Mockery for. Under the radar underrated prospects that can play better than their expected draft position. Thanks, Erik.