Round 1 - Pick #28, Devonte Wyatt, DL Georgia

[Ghost_Lombardi]

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[paco]

Top talent. Older, but obviously checks out with the Packers, especially on the character concerns.

[Crazylegs Starks]

Gotta get the big guys when they're available!

[Pckfn23]

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Rating: 87.89 (Long-term starter)

Pro Comparison: Smaller Marcell Dareus

Strengths:

Large, wide-bodied dancing bear who wins with power, decently deceptive quicks, and some pass-rushing moves. Plays with astounding pop on first contact. Can play 1T if needed. Good bull rush but actually his hand work is more impressive. Occasionally will win through the line with his first step.

Weaknesses:

Not a tremendous run defender, and while he can get lateral across the line, his pursuit speed is only slightly above-average. Not a pass-rush move master. Mostly won with first-step quickness in college. He'll have to diversify his rushes in the NFL.

Accolades:

2021: CFP national champion
2021: All-America second team

Georgia’s Devonte Wyatt has been a four-year contributor for the Bulldog defense and has improved with each season. As a senior, Wyatt has seemingly put everything together and had a breakout season, which has earned him a trip to the Senior Bowl. Wyatt is an excellent athlete inside, displaying quickness and burst to penetrate gaps. He is a disruptive interior rusher with the quickness to win the edges inside and shoot gaps. Wyatt plays with good balance and has excellent change of direction and lateral mobility. He has very good speed overall to cross offensive linemen’s faces and is excellent with his hands, showing an ability to tie rush moves together inside. Wyatt is susceptible to power in the running game and there are times he loses gap integrity, especially when forced to face double teams. He has just average power overall and wins primarily with his first-step quickness and motor. A versatile defender, Wyatt can align anywhere along the line of scrimmage. having had success playing 0-tech all the way to rushing outside at 7-tech. A player whose best football is still ahead of him, Wyatt has the size, length, pass rush instincts, and athleticism to develop into a consistent interior rusher at the next level.

Ideal Role: Three-down interior defensive lineman who has positional versatility.

Scheme Fit: 4-3 3-technique

FILM EVALUATION

Written by Brentley Weissman

Games watched: Alabama (2021), Clemson (2021), Kentucky (2021)

Best Game Studied: Kentucky (2021)

Worst Game Studied: Clemson (2021)

First Step Quickness: Wyatt displays very good quickness off the snap and consistently was able to gain the edges of guards inside. He fires off low to the ground and was able to be a valuable interior penetrator for the Georgia defense. His quick, explosive, and can shoot gaps with excellent timing.

Flexibility: A loose and fluid athlete, Wyatt demonstrates the flexibility to slip through the edges of blocks. He shows good ankle flexion to bend at the top of his rush and get home to the quarterback. You see his ability to change direction when he drops to play in the open field.

Hand Counters: Wyatt displays very good hand use with a wide array of rush moves and counters. He flashes an outstanding strike-and-snatch move to quickly disengage and free himself from the grasp of offensive linemen. Thanks to his excellent motor, Wyatt works his hands to the very end of the play.

Hand Pop: Wyatt doesn’t have the strongest of hands but he can knock linemen back when he has good forward momentum and leverage. He primarily wins with an explosive first step, hand timing, and placement.

Run defending: Wyatt is a good run defender overall and definitely has the skill set to be an effective player in this phase at the next level. He has an above average anchor and can hold his own at the point of attack against single blocks. There are times he loses ground to double teams and gets washed out of his assignment. He flashes quickness to penetrate and consistently makes tackles for losses. He has outstanding range and makes plays up and down the line of scrimmage.

Effort: Wyatt plays the game with excellent effort. He always fights to the whistle and will work to uncover until the very end. He chases plays down backside and will get production late in the down because he never stops working.

Football I.Q: An instinctual player, Wyatt displays good football IQ in both phases of the game. He rarely lets himself get trapped and is always in good position on misdirection plays. He shows an above average ability to read blocking schemes and is quick to sniff out screens.

Lateral Mobility: For a big man, Wyatt displays outstanding lateral mobility. He is light on his feet and can cross gaps with ease, showing quickness and coordination. He can bend, flip his hips, and change direction in space. He has tremendous range in the running game and makes plays sideline to sideline.

Functional Strength: While Wyatt displays good functional strength overall, he won’t get mistaken for an overly powerful player at the point of attack. He flashes a good ability to hold the point of attack and also win with a bull rush but this isn’t an explosive knock-back player at the point of attack.

Versatility: Wyatt is a very versatile player, showing an ability to align at various spots on the defensive front. He wins playing 1-technique, 3-technique, and even lines up in a two-point stance playing 7-technique rushing from the edge.

Prospect Comparison: Corey Liuget (2011 NFL Draft, San Diego Chargers)

SCOUT GRADES

TDN Consensus: 85.67/100 (First Round Value)

Crabbs Grade: 85.50/100

Marino Grade: 87.00/100

Harris Grade: 85.50/100

Sanchez Grade: 86.50/100

Weissman Grade: 84.50/100

Parson Grade: 85.00/100

Wyatt was a four-star prospect from Decatur, Georgia, when he signed with the Bulldogs. He went to Hutchinson Community College in 2017 (30 tackles, 4.5 for loss with three sacks) to improve his grades before heading to Athens. Wyatt played in 12 games as a reserve in 2018 (19 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and played in 13 games with one start in 2019 (30 tackles, 1.5 for loss). He became a regular starter in 2020 (25 tackles, two for loss in 10 games) and burst onto the scene as a first-team All-SEC selection to lead the Bulldogs' national title run in 2021 (39 tackles, seven for loss with 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles in 14 starts). -- by Chad Reuter


Analysis
By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Round 1
NFL Comparison
Maliek Collins
Overview
Highly active defensive tackle with decent strength. Wyatt is made for movement and disruptions. He helped himself in 2021 with better tape both against the run and as a pass rusher. His lateral quickness is useful in beating zone blocks and in sliding across the front in a game-based pass rush. Wyatt has adequate strength but struggles to withstand a second blocker. The traits are average, but the effort is consistent and Wyatt should fit nicely as a rotational, gap-seeking three-technique with disruptive flashes.
Strengths
Initial punch lands with some pop.
Lateral quickness beats move-blocker to the spot.
Uses slip-rip for penetration into A-gap.
Locates ball-carriers quickly when two-gapping.
Hustles around the field looking to make a play.
Shows urgency in locating a pass blocker's edge.
Enough lower-body strength to plow through redirect blocks.
Above-average change of direction inside pocket.
Weaknesses
Length is below average.
Average explosiveness into the neutral zone.
Tendency to drop helmet into initial contact.
Not enough sand to withstand down blocks.
Average hand usage and shed quickness.
Rush energy bogs down when stiff punches find him.
Lack of length shows up in his rush.
Doesn't have go-to moves for quick-rush wins.

[Waldo]

So he's from Decatur, nice. That's where I live.

[paco]

[Drj820]

So he's from Decatur, nice. That's where I live.

nice i had some coffee at dancing goats this morning

[YoHoChecko]

Here’s the chat I was having with my buddies before the pick.

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And that’s all I have on that.

He’s a good player. But I’m disappointed in the team. He better be a danged Boy Scout.

[go pak go]

WE GOT KENNY SOME HELP!!!!!

[kampmanfan4life]

Our D-line is now the best it has been in a long time. We got stronger up the middle of the defense today.

[Madcity_matt]

Our D-line is now the best it has been in a long time. We got stronger up the middle of the defense today.

Agreed, and already super solid backfield. Could be the best packers defense in decades

[go pak go]

So serious question.

Who is older....

Kenny Clark? or Devante Wyatt?

[Pckfn23]

Kenny by 2.5 years.

[Drj820]

DL is pretty juiced now as we also brought in Reeder

[paco]

So serious question.

Who is older....

Kenny Clark? or Devante Wyatt?

Kenny Clark born Oct 4th, 1995
Devonte Wyatt born Mar 31st 1998

[salmar80]

I have a feeling we have a pass rushing DL who's capable of fast stunts with Gary or Preston, while Kenny bulls ahead.

[Drj820]

this defense is NASTY (on paper)

[NCF]

Sounds like Aaron Rodgers thought we drafted Jordan Davis.

[go pak go]

Clark
Lowry
Reed
Wyatt
TJ Slayton
Lancaster

That is a serious group.

[go pak go]

Sounds like Aaron Rodgers thought we drafted Jordan Davis.

Yeah. Pretty hard to have credibility of liking a guy when you understate his weight by 45 pounds.