The Tennessee Titans surprised a lot of people when they took right tackle Isaiah Wilson in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft instead of taking a player at cornerback, which was arguably the team’s biggest need.
The pick certainly came with some criticism from both experts and fans alike, but now that all the dust has settled, it’s always interesting to take a look back at what experts were saying about Wilson prior to the draft.
Dane Brugler, The Athletic (Wilson was his No. 8 tackle):
A two-year starter at Georgia, Wilson was the starting right tackle in former offensive coordinator James Coley’s pro-style spread. The Bulldogs had a topthree ranked recruiting class in 2017 and he was the highest-ranked prize in the class, although he required a redshirt year as he adjusted to the heat and got his body right. A traits-based prospect, Wilson is built with a girthy frame, long arms and enough quickness to make it difficult for rushers to get around him. While he creates movement with play strength and a mean streak, he doesn’t consistently win with his hands and his fundamentals have yet to catch up with his natural skill, leaving him laboring and leaning. Overall, Wilson is a work-in-progress as a technician with uneven college tape, but he has yet to play his best football, offering the functional movements and brute power of an eventual NFL starter.
Big, broad right tackle prospect with outstanding physical traits and above-average potential. Wilson’s play was a bit uneven depending on his matchup, but his level of play showed improvement in-season. He’s a little inconsistent hitting his landmarks as a zone blocker but should fit nicely into a man-based blocking scheme. A potential lack of range in pass protection could lead to over-sets and subsequent troubles with inside counters. Wilson has elite size and length. There’s buzz surrounding his NFL projection, but early work might be needed for both his footwork and technique in order to play with desired consistency as a starter.
Joe Marino, The Draft Network:
An all-everything recruit, Isaiah Wilson started for two seasons at Georgia before declaring for the NFL draft. An impressive blend of size, mobility and power, Wilson has some dominant reps on tape as both a run blocker and pass blocker where his traits simply allow him to take over. With that said, honing in on the technical side of the game to maximize his rare physical gifts is critical for him to reach his ceiling at the next level. There are notable concerns with his hands and feet that need to improve but nothing is unfixable and his foundation over unteachable traits are the appeal here. Wilson has an extremely high ceiling but development is needed. He’s a scheme-versatile blocker that projects best to the right side.
With the run-heavy offense Georgia tends to run, Wilson has plenty of experience blocking in the ground game and excels there the most. He has some potential as a pass blocker though, as he has shown solid lateral quickness and footwork for someone as big as he is. When he gets his hands placed correctly, he does a solid job of finishing the defender off and locking that defender out of the play entirely.
Wilson is a polished but raw prospect, which might sound like an oxymoron but is true in his case. He’s ready to play right tackle in the NFL right now, but he has developmental potential to continue better learning how to use his traits and gifts. A Day 1 starter at right tackle is expected with Pro Bowl potential in his future.
Tony Pauline, Pro Football Network:
Wilson is a traditional right tackle who can be an overwhelming force at the point of attack. He’s a dominant run blocker who holds his own in pass protection, but he’s not suited for a zone-blocking system.
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