Tag: Michael Wilson

Will Patriots double dip at WR with this mid-round draft prospect

This Pac-12 receiving draft prospect could be a great mid-round option for the Patriots.

Drafting at the receiver position may not be a one-off for the New England Patriots heading into the 2023 NFL draft.

There’s a chance the team could take a receiver off the board in the first or second round, especially after their thorough visit with Boston College prospect Zay Flowers. In one draft, they could potentially land both a speedster, while also taking a flier on another receiver that checks all of the physical boxes.

Enter Stanford’s Michael Wilson.

The former Cardinal was reportedly in town for a visit with the Patriots on Saturday. He is expected to be a possible mid-round selection, following a season where he hauled in 26 receptions for 418 yards and four touchdowns.

The fit is there for the Patriots, who would be getting a solid route-runner that has some size to win in jump-ball situations. Wilson is also a willing blocker on the field. So the versatility that Bill Belichick covets at the receiver position is clearly there.

One of the biggest concerns with Wilson is his injury history. He only played in six games in the 2022 season and 14 games total over his last three collegiate seasons.

But for a mid-round pick, he might be worth the risk for a Patriots team that desperately needs to upgrade at wideout, especially if they fail to pull off a blockbuster trade for DeAndre Hopkins or Jerry Jeudy.

Two big bites at the apple might finally solve the Patriots’ draft problems at the receiver position.

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Vikings 2023 7-round mock draft: Matt Anderson’s 10.0

The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of decisions to make on how to approach the NFL draft. @MattAnderson_8 has them going safety again.

The Minnesota Vikings are currently experiencing a lull in their offseason. Following the first wave of free agency, teams are now focused on inviting potential prospects for visits leading up to the NFL Draft.

The Vikings have filled some needs in free agency, but they only have five picks in April’s draft. They will need to strategically address how to fill the remaining voids on their roster. So, let’s take a look at my 10th mock draft to see how things unfolded.

We will be using Pro Football Focus’ mock draft simulator and the Rich Hill trade chart for any trades.

Vikings add a linebacker in latest Sporting News mock draft

The Sporting News released a 7-round mock draft on Thursday where they had the Minnesota Vikings selecting a linebacker in the first round

This offseason, the Minnesota Vikings decided to part ways with Eric Kendricks, creating a gap in their linebacker corps beside second-year player Brian Asamoah.

On Thursday, Vinnie Iyer from The Sporting News published his latest seven-round mock draft. He predicted that the Vikings would select Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson in the first round

The Vikings have a big void in the middle of their defense. They should covet Simpson’s toughness and speed with which to cover a ton of ground and make plenty of plays in coverage and against the run.

Many consider Simpson to be one of the top linebackers in this draft class due to his versatility as a defender. Throughout his college career, he was utilized in various positions on the field, including at safety. Simpson has impressive closing speed and the capacity to power through opposing players to make critical plays.

The Vikings have several team needs, and selecting a linebacker in the first round may not be the optimal decision for them. Although Simpson possesses great talent, the Vikings could probably address this position later in the draft.

Iyver had the Vikings selecting the following players in the remainder of his mock draft

  • Pick 87: Maryland CB Deonte Banks
  • Pick 119: Maryland WR Rakim Jarett
  • Pick 158: Oklahoma DL Jalen Redmond
  • Pick 211: Stanford WR Michael Wilson

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Chris Simms’ top 5 receivers in 2023 NFL draft

The Commanders aren’t looking for a receiver this year, but Simms has an interesting list, especially at No. 1.

The Commanders have Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, so it is highly unlikely the Commanders would use the 16th overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft on a wide receiver.

However, Pro Football Talk’s Chris Simms has produced his annual top-five wide receivers from this upcoming draft class.

 

Seahawks 2023 NFL mock draft: The checking every box edition

After their stunning success in 2022, another quality draft would set Seattle up is a true contender in the NFC.

The Seahawks will go into the 2023 NFL draft with a top-five overall pick, 10 picks in all and the second-most capital in the league. That puts them in position to capitalize on the strengths of this class as well as filling their immediate roster needs. After their stunning success in 2022, another quality draft would set Seattle up is a true contender in the NFC.

With that in mind, in our latest seven-round mock draft, we tried our best to check every single box. Along the way we filled needs along the defensive line, as well as linebacker, center, wide receiver, running back and guard. We also made sure to get tight end and cornerback picks to take advantage of the depth at those positions. We also took a detour to roll the dice on one of the under-the-radar quarterback prospects in this class. Here’s how the full mock draft played out.

PFF rightly has Titans going all offense in 3-round mock draft

In a recent three-round mock from PFF, the Titans go all offense with their picks.

With the peak of the free agency period officially behind us, 2023 NFL draft talk for the Tennessee Titans and the rest of the league will only start to pick up as the weeks pass.

Mock drafts, of course, are going to be everywhere as everyone loves to have their own opinion regarding what each NFL team should do on draft weekend, which begins on April 27.

Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus recently took his shot at a three-round mock draft consisting of 102 picks in total. With the Titans’ first selection, he, like many, has the team selecting Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr.

Sikkema’s reason being:

With Taylor Lewan no longer in the building, the Titans would be wise to invest in the offensive trenches, especially if they have their pick of any in this class. If they do, I expect Paris Johnson Jr. to be their choice.

I agree with this selection 1,000 percent.

The Titans made some solid additions to the offensive line in free agency in Daniel Brunskill and Andre Dillard, but that group needs a true pillar to build around, and preferably on the blindside.

With his next selection, the PFF draft analyst has the Titans selecting Minnesota center, John Michael Schmitz.

The former Golden Gopher would be a fantastic addition to the Titans’ zone-blocking scheme that will benefit from his fluid movement skills.

Schmitz would instantly create a legitimate competition with Aaron Brewer, who figures to be in line to replace Ben Jones at center.

Lastly, Sikkema has the Titans adding one of the best blocking wide receivers in the draft who also possesses real playmaking potential on the boundary in Stanford’s Michael Wilson.

Wilson is one of the few receivers in the draft who can win off the line of scrimmage in a variety of different ways, including using his unique blend of burst (1.5-second 10-yard split) and power (23 bench press reps).

Wilson averaged 2.77 yards per route over the 133 snaps against press coverage since 2020, per PFF.

The approach with Sikkema’s picks is the right one with Tennessee having so many holes on offense. In my latest seven-round mock, I went heavy on the offense, also.

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Colts’ 7-round mock draft pre-NFL free agency

Here’s a 7-round mock draft for the Colts ahead of free agency in 2023.

The Indianapolis Colts are set to embark on the start of free agency Monday as the legal tampering period officially arrives. That means we’re one step closer to the 2023 NFL draft.

Though the Colts aren’t expected to be major players in free agency, we do expect them to address some positions, such as right guard. In this mock draft scenario, they used free agency to find their starting right guard.

Here’s an updated seven-round mock draft for the Colts, using Pro Football Focus’ mock draft simulator:

Doug Baldwin vouches for this Stanford WR prospect: ‘Love his game’

It’s difficult for any draft prospect to stand out with dozens of competitors vying for the same roster spots, but getting a recommendation from a franchise legend has to help.

The Seahawks met with several prospects during the 2023 NFL Combine, inlcuding Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson and Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz. One of the wide receivers they met with was Stanford’s Michael Wilson. It’s difficult for any draft prospect to stand out with dozens of competitors vying for the same roster spots, but getting a recommendation from a franchise legend has to help.

Here’s what former Seattle great and Stanford alum Doug Baldwin had to say about Wilson as a player and as a person.

Wilson (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) totaled 26 catches, 418 yards and four touchdowns during his Senior year. While those numbers aren’t anything to write home about, Wilson did pretty well at the scouting combine, posting a 37.5″ vertical leap, 23 bench press reps and a 4.58 second 40-yard dash time.

The scouting report on Wilson is that he’s a “cantankerous” run blocker, which will always endear wide receivers to coach Pete Carroll.

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5 wide receivers to watch for Colts at 2023 NFL combine

Here’s a look at 5 WRs to watch for the Colts at the NFL combine.

All indications are that the Indianapolis Colts will likely draft a quarterback in April.

To be successful, the team must continue to put pieces around him, particularly depth at the receiver spot. While the team may re-sign veteran Parris Campbell, the talent beyond Campbell, Pierce, and Pittman Jr. is scarce.

Adding additional help is feasible and could go a long way for an offense that struggled. Fortunately, there appear to be some intriguing options in the 2023 NFL draft.

Here are five wide receivers the Colts should keep an eye on at the NFL Scouting Combine this weekend:

Vikings draft prospects: QB/WR/TE interviews at NFL Scouting Combine

The quarterbacks and pass catchers had the opportunity to speak at the combine and they had some gems

The Minnesota Vikings are currently at the NFL Scouting Combine looking to find the next future stars to wear the purple and gold.

Throughout the course of the week, teams will be allowed to interview players to help them make their choices easier when it comes time for the NFL draft in April. In essence, it’s one more piece of the puzzle.

On Wednesday, the media was able to interview the linebackers and defensive linemen and Thursday was for the defensive backs and specialists.

On Friday, we got to hear from the quarterbacks and pass catchers.