Taken with the fifth-round pick that the Green Bay Packers acquired after trading down in the second round, Dontayvion Wicks enters the league after a somewhat disappointing senior season at the University of Virginia. Don’t let that final campaign fool you, though. His all-conference junior season and impressive physical metrics shine a light on a player who could make an immediate impact in the NFL.
Wicks had up-and-down start to his collegiate career. He contributed as a freshman before missing his sophomore season due to injury. Wicks had an explosion of production in the 2021 season, tallying a school-record-setting 1,203 receiving yards as a junior, with his 21.1 yards per reception tops in the ACC and fifth-best in the country. His senior season struggled to get off the ground due to a number of factors, including a coaching change, injury, and the cancellation of the final two games of the season after the tragic shooting on the Virginia campus.
Wicks was able to regroup and put together a performance at the Senior Bowl that drew rave reviews, mostly for his burst, agility, and wide catch radius. It would be blasphemy to make a Davante Adams comparison, but there are elements of the type of release and footwork that Adams made famous in Wicks’ game.
Productivity in college is one factor that Wicks has in common with some Packers greats. Wicks’ junior season earned him All-ACC honors, with his totals good for 17th in total yards and fourth in yards per catch. By comparison, Romeo Doubs was 11th in yards in 202. Adams and Jordy Nelson were second in receiving yards in their final college seasons. And Greg Jennings was third in 2005. College productivity certainly doesn’t guarantee professional success, but it’s something that has correlated with success for many Green Bay receivers. Couple that with the fact that his athleticism fits all the markers that a Brian Gutekunst-type of receiver is supposed to hit, and you have yourself many of the indicators of a potential steal in the fifth round.
Dontayvion Wicks has the physical traits needed to get on the field, but doing what’s necessary to stay on the it should be the primary focus for the 21-year-old rookie. That comes down to two main areas: ball skills and blocking. With Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, the tight end sets of Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, plus guys like Jayden Reed, Samori Toure, and Grant Dubose all competing for Jordan Love‘s attention, Wicks will need to do the right things, even when the ball doesn’t come his way.
His scouting report refers to him as an “energetic run blocker with a fighter’s disposition,” which will certainly endear him to the coaching staff, much in the same way that Allen Lazard did to earn his role in Green Bay. When the ball comes his way, the Packers will expect him to come down with it as an efficient downfield threat. Watson may eat up many of the downfield looks, but showing that you’ve got ball skills like this up your sleeve certainly can’t hurt your standing.
Christian Watson’s role seems to be somewhat defined within the Green Bay offense. However, Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur have added so many intriguing pieces over the last two seasons that the manner in which the rest of the offense will shake out still appears to be a work in progress. With a big frame, a willingness to compete, and a knack for making big plays, there’s no reason that Dontayvion Wicks couldn’t wedge himself firmly into the mix in his rookie season.
