Blidi Wreh-Wilson And The Bucs
April 1st, 2013
Lord do the Bucs need cornerbacks. Joe’s pretty certain a man dying of thirst stuck in the Mohave doesn’t need water as much as the Bucs need corners.
Joe is pretty convinced the Bucs will draft at least two, and one corner that intrigues Joe is Blidi Wreh-Wilson of UConn.
No, UConn is not the SEC. Hell, it’s not even the Big Ten. Wreh-Wilson has Joe’s eye because he is one of the top corners in the draft, maybe a third-round pick, but he seems to have a high ceiling.
Wreh-Wilson is 6-1 and has limited football experience having played soccer. But he told Joe and the rest of the pen and mic club at the NFL Combine that soccer gave him great footwork and his athleticism enables him to play all sorts of different coverages.
“I played soccer from the time I was 5 until my junior year,” Wreh-Wilson said. “I played football in sixth, seventh, eighth grade, and I made the final transition my senior year from soccer to football. I played — freshman, sophomore, junior year soccer. I was little bit smaller, so my dad was kind of wary on the football thing, and he was kind of worried about my safety. But I made a decision I wanted to play football and he was all for it.”
Wreh-Wilson credits soccer with his ability to hang with receivers.
It has helped a “lot. Yeah, a lot,” Wreh-Wilson said. “The body control, the footwork — a lot of things like that transferred. You don’t use your feet really in football. You can’t kick anyone, so I guess I’d have an advantage on people if you could do that.”
Wreh-Wilson’s size has really been an attribute.
“You’ ve got to know when to strike, because those guys are going to be bigger than you and they’re going to run into you and things like that,” Wreh-Wilson said. “If you’re getting caught up in that, you might take yourself out of position. So you’ve got to know the right timing, the right placement and how to be crafty with your style of play.”
You know what is really interesting about Wreh-Wilson? It’s who he patterns his play after.
“I base my game off Darrelle Revis,” he said. “The same techniques he uses we used at UConn. We watched a lot of his film.”
And we all know how much Bucs coach Greg Schiano likes Big East players. Just something to think about in about three weeks.
April 2nd, 2013 at 12:36 am
I’m not that impressed. I see a project similiar to Myron Lewis. For a third round pick that man needs to be ready to play now. We whiffed pretty hard on the two WVU products last year.
April 2nd, 2013 at 12:54 am
I wouldn’t be opposed to this selection but hopefully with one of our fourth round picks instead.
April 2nd, 2013 at 12:57 am
If we must make our draft picks out of the Big East to appease General Schiano then I only prey we do something crazy and take Tavon Austin. This would give us a moveable chess piece that Sully could really get a nice return on a la Victor Cruz. If we were to take Austin I truly believe that we would essentially add a Percy Harvin type weapon to an already loaded offense with two huge possesion receivers, up and coming stud workhorse in Dougie, and a line that most teams should fear. Our tight end could primarily be an extra pass blocker and we would still always present at least one or two match up nightmares per drop back.
Please Schiano, if you intend to draft players that “you know” at least grab us a stud like Austin instead of mediocre talents like Tandy and Goode. If Tandy or Goode develop into great players I will completely admit I’m wrong; regardless I think we can all agree that Austin has the upside of a Harvin, Cruz, Welker type slot receiver while also providing us an elite return man and occasional scat back a la Darren Sproles
April 2nd, 2013 at 1:06 am
I think for the type of defense we run, we will target bigger corners that can jam at the line and knock receivers off of their route like Rhodes, Banks, and Wreh-Wilson. I definitely think the Bucs will look closely at him. Also, remember we hired Eric Stokes as Director of College Scouting from the Seahawks who coveted those type of corners. I know Barber said they will change some things up on defense, but I still think they want the bigger corners and safeties.
April 2nd, 2013 at 1:21 am
FreemanBomb:
There’s only a wee little problem with your conclusion.
Tavon Austin played in the Big XII.
It just so happens Bucs rock star Mark Dominik loves Big XII players, if that helps you at all.
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:19 am
@FreemanBomb5……great post, would be a great pick at 13. Tavon Austin would add a whole new dimension to the offense, I would be pumped for this pick. Still need DBs, but Austin is a total game changer when add in his return ability, which bucs really help with. Again, great post.
April 2nd, 2013 at 6:02 am
Joe-
The last time Schiano coached a game in college, WVU was in the Big East.
Blidi Wreh-Wilson seriously struggled at the Senior Bowl in off coverages. He did okay in press but his strong point is zone. He played well in the game but as of then he struggled with his footwork and technique.
For those of you that still think that the ONLY good football players come from the SEC (Ahmad Black, Glenn Dorsey, and a littany of others would dispute that), UConn has a crap ton of talent coming out this season on the defensive side of the ball. They have two CBs and two OLBs that should all go in rounds 2-4 with a great combination of size, speed, and athleticism. UConn boasts some of the most impressive talent on the defensive side of the ball in this year’s draft.
April 2nd, 2013 at 7:03 am
Austin in the 1st, this guy in the 2nd.
April 2nd, 2013 at 7:15 am
Tavon Austin = Dexter Jackson 2.0
April 2nd, 2013 at 8:37 am
You people really make me laugh. A week ago you hardly even heard the name Tavon Austin mentioned. After pro day every talking head out there has been talking up this guy and now almost everyone of you want to select him with the first pick. You all act like little football gurus but all you do is follow trends and regurgitate everything that is said as if it’s gospel. You people really don’t have a clue. Who will it be next week?
April 2nd, 2013 at 9:48 am
Couldn’t agree w Astrobuc anymore! Tavon Austin just isn’t going to happen. Dominik has a brain in his head so Austin is out at 13. He’s praying for Jordan, Lotulelei, Rhodes or fall back Margus Hunt (see previous Joe article).
Blidi I like. In the third. Problem is, his stocks on the rise so he’ll come off in 2. And that’s too soon for him. Prolly not going to be a Buc.
April 2nd, 2013 at 9:48 am
Couldn’t agree w Astrobuc anymore! Tavon Austin just isn’t going to happen. Dominik has a brain in his head so Austin is out at 13. He’s praying for Jordan, Lotulelei, Rhodes or fall back Margus Hunt (see previous Joe article).
Blidi I like. In the third. Problem is, his stocks on the rise so he’ll come off in 2. And that’s too soon for him. Prolly not going to be a Buc.
April 2nd, 2013 at 9:54 am
The other problem with Austin, is there is an assumption tha the more weapons we have the better the offense. And I would agree with you if we had Aaron Rodgers, or Brees or Brady. But we don’t.
I honestly believe that Josh Freeman can’t progress to his third read. I think he wants to. I think he might try to. But I Don’t know how many times I saw Benn doing jumping jacks 30 yds down field when Free forced it to Wiliams or Winslow (I’d want out too). Lack of weapons isn’t the problem. Freeman’s inability to work through progressions successfully is the problem.
April 2nd, 2013 at 11:06 am
Austin at 13…no way.If we trade down 10 spot’s maybe.
April 2nd, 2013 at 12:22 pm
76 Buc76,
Who at #13?
Austin > CBs after Dee Milliner.
astrobuc,
Tavon Austin is a Wes Welker/ Percy Harvin talent… you will see. 🙂
April 2nd, 2013 at 12:22 pm
76 Buc76,
Who at #13?
Austin > CBs after Dee Milliner.
astrobuc,
Tavon Austin is a Wes Welker/ Percy Harvin talent… you will see. 🙂