Welcome to SKOL Search!
This series will be your guide to the 2023 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.
The focus of the draft class in this space will be with the Vikings major needs at wide receiver, running back, cornerback and both interior and edge pass rusher.
The Vikings are slated to have four picks before compensatory selections are awarded and they need to make the most out of them.
Background
Dontayvion Wicks
- Height-6015
- Weight-212 lbs
- 3-Star recruit per 24/7 Sports
- Stats: 90 receptions, 1,694 yards, 8 touchdowns
- Games watched: BYU 2021, Old Dominion 2022, Syracuse 2022, Illinois 2022
Strengths
Wicks is a dynamic receiver that thrives in short spaces. He has excellent short-area quickness and fluid hips that allow him to create separation with ease.
His route running overall is a major plus. He varies things at the stem to keep the defender guessing. Wicks is also very precise and deliberate with his movements and doesn’t waste any motion. He also does a great job varying his tempo during the route to manipulate the cornerbacks’ hips which also creates separation.
As a deep threat, Wicks knows how to position himself and set the defender up by using space and leverage to his advantage. He tracks the ball well and sees it into his hands.
Weaknesses
His biggest issue is with catching the football. Wicks has the flair to make the difficult catches but has shown struggles to catch the easy ones. His hands look like bricks half the time and his 8.7% drop percentage (15 in 173 targets) is far from great. That issue got worse this season as he had nine drops in 72 targets (12.5%) whereas he only had six in his first 101 targets (5.94%). Can this be fixed? A lot of these drops are just concentration and it also reared its ugly head at the Senior Bowl.
Wicks has also shown issues in dealing with physicality. Whether it be at the line of scrimmage, at the stem or at the catch point, Wicks can be moved off course with some ease.
Overview
| Hands | 5.1/10 |
| Release | 8.7/10 |
| Route Running | 13.5/15 |
| Separation | 8.4/15 |
| Contested Catches | 7.8/10 |
| Tracking | 8.2/10 |
| Body Control | 8.0/10 |
| YAC Ability | 7.9/10 |
| Agility | 8.8/10 |
| Grade | 76.4/100 Third Round |
Wicks is a great receiver with drop issues. The biggest thing with him is this: If you can fix those issues, you could have yourself a really good player. The issue will be the hands, as right now they are UDFA bad and trending in the wrong direction.
