Unpacking Future Packers: No. 82, Virginia WR Dontayvion Wicks

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.

If Christian Watson can stay healthy, the Green Bay Packers have their future No. 1 wide receiver in the former North Dakota State wide receiver. Now, Brian Gutekunst needs to continue to add pieces around the electric playmaker.

A player that Green Bay’s general manager could target in the 2023 NFL Draft is Dontayvion Wicks. The Virginia wide receiver checks in at No. 82 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown. 

Wicks set the program record for receiving yards (1,203) in 2021. He averaged 21.1 yards per reception on 57 receptions and finished with nine touchdowns. 

Wicks’ production took a hit this past season in a new offense and struggled with drops (nine). He missed the final two games of the season due to injury and ended the season with 30 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns. 

“There’s no way around it, Wicks had a tremendously disappointing season in 2022,” Mike Barber, the ACC beat writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch said. “He wasn’t alone. A new coaching staff completely changed the offense from the air raid attack that Wicks and quarterback Brennan Armstrong excelled in, to a more pro-style, timing-based offense. Wicks, who had established himself as a deep threat by getting behind defenses and hauling in deep passes from Armstrong, never got comfortable in the new scheme. He struggled with drops and his production fell off.”

Wicks is a good route runner. He bursts in and out of his breaks to create separation on intermediate routes. 

What stands out about his game is his vertical speed. He has clean footwork to beat press coverage. Wicks has an instant accelerator with long strides to stack cornerbacks. He does a good job of selling double moves and he has the late burst to create separation once he gets downfield. That vertical threat helps open up the intermediate routes for the Virginia wide receiver.  

“Wicks has top-end speed and a great feel for getting open, which made him a big-play threat in college,” Barber said. “He runs a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash.

At 6-1, Wicks has good length. Teams will be weary about his hands after having nine drops this past season. It can be chalked up to concentration drops, and Wicks looking to get upfield before securing the catch. But there are bad drops on film from this past season. 

His 2021 film is littered with Wicks tracking the ball and making contested catches downfield. It will be part of his game that he’ll have to silence throughout the pre-draft process, which by all reports he’s already started doing during Senior Bowl week. 

“I believe the drops can be attributed to the change in offensive style,” Barber said. “He was at his best getting open and calling for the ball, running under it. He struggled in the timing-based offense VA installed this past season. Most of Wicks’ drops came as he completed a route, turned, and had the ball on him. But he also had some inexplicable drops, times when he got open downfield, came back to the ball, and just didn’t make a simple catch. It certainly is worth considering for NFL teams.”

With his quickness and strength, Wicks can be slippery after the catch. Nobody will confuse him for Deebo Samuel, but he has the speed to run away from defenders if he makes the first man miss. Over the past two seasons, Wicks had 407 yards after the catch (PFF). 

“Most of his big plays came from his speed, getting behind the defense or catching a pass in stride and running away from defenders,” Barber said. “But he has some wiggle in the open field to make people miss, too. He isn’t the biggest target and won’t necessarily break a ton of tackles, but defenders have a hard time getting their hands on him.”

Fit with the Packers

Speed kills. With his ability to win vertically, Wicks could be a dynamic playmaker in Green Bay’s offense playing alongside Watson and Romeo Doubs. 

“If I was confident he could adjust and improve in an NFL-style offense, I would take a shot on Wicks because of his speed,” Barber said. “It really is a game-changer, forcing opposing defenses to not only check him with their best cover corner but also keep a safety back.”

The Virginia wide receiver will likely go late on day two or early on day three of the upcoming draft. If the Packers believe his drops this past season were just a blip on the radar, he could add more speed to Green Bay’s wide receiver room. 

Regardless of what happens at quarterback, the Packers need to continue to add young talent to the wide receiver room and Wicks has all the tools to develop into a playmaker at the next level. 

Story originally appeared on Packers Wire