Dontayvion Wicks NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Virginia WR

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 206

HAND: 10"

ARM: 32 3/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.62

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: 39"

BROAD: 10'10"

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POSITIVES

— Very good speed on film. Reliable deep threat.

— Very good lateral movement and agility.

— Very good understanding of how to create space before the catch point. Uses his arms effectively.

— Great ball tracking and coordination. Can contort his body to find the ball and keep feet in bounds.

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NEGATIVES

— Severe drops issue in 2022.

— Below-average play strength. Can struggle to beat press.

— Too loose of a route runner right now. Has a tendency to lose his balance and disrupt timing of the route.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 8 GM, 30 REC, 430 YDS (14.3 AVG), 2 TD

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NOTES

— 3-star recruit in 2019 class, per 247Sports' composite rating

— Two-year starter, 19 career starts

— 2021 first-team All-ACC

— Missed entire 2020 season with undisclosed injury, missed two games in 2022 with undisclosed injury

— Suffered a minor hip injury during the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine

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OVERALL

Dontayvion Wicks is a dangerous deep threat who needs to find consistency when it comes to drops and health.

Wicks isn't a one-trick pony, but he's at his best as a deep threat. His 4.62 40-yard dash is deceiving considering he suffered a hip injury during the drill. On film, Wicks shows great explosion off the line of scrimmage and even scarier buildup speed. Not only does he have the raw speed to beat most defensive backs, but he has the agility and lateral explosion to avoid contact throughout the route, allowing his speed to take over.

Additionally, Wicks is a reliable ball tracker. He does well to find the ball on the sideline and over his shoulder on deep throws. Wicks also has the ability to twist and turn his body to meet the ball where it is while still having the coordination to get his feet down in bounds. Similarly, Wicks shows a great understanding of how to fight for last-second space at the catch point. He does well to use his arms and body to box defensive backs out of the catch point, allowing the ball to fall right into his bread basket. That's a degree of craft and savvy that can be hard to teach.

However, Wicks still needs to find consistency in other areas. For one, Wicks isn't a reliable route-runner on anything but deep routes right now. He can struggle to get off the line of scrimmage, especially when running shorter routes where he needs to release right away. Wicks is also too loose as a route-runner right now, which often leads to him losing his balance and not separating the way he should be capable of. Lastly, Wicks struggled mightily in 2022 with drops of all sorts. It wasn't an issue in 2021, so maybe last season was an anomaly, but it's a concern worth raising when projecting Wicks forward.

Wicks has the potential to be an effective field-stretching No. 2. It's not easy to find receivers with his size, speed, and ball-tracking ability. That said, Wicks needs to find consistency in his non-deep routes, hands and health. He would fit best in a vertical offense that has the flexibility to move him around between the slot and an off-the-ball outside position.

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GRADE: 6.8 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 106

POSITION RANK: WR15

PRO COMPARISON: David Givens

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen