What to Know: Virginia WR Dontayvion Wicks visiting with Packers
By Paul Bretl
The Green Bay Packers will be hosting Virginia wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks on an official pre-draft visit. Each team is allowed 30 of these such visits before the draft begins.
In terms of what the Packers usually look for at the receiver position from a size and athleticism checkpoint, Wicks checks those boxes. He has a bigger frame, standing 6’1″ and weighing 205 pounds while posting an elite Relative Athletic Score of 9.49 out of 10.
The majority of Wicks’ playing time came over the last two seasons, where he lined up on the boundary and was frequently targeted downfield. In fact, only 20 of Wicks’ 93 targets in 2021 came within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, according to PFF.
That season, he could catch 57 of those aforementioned 93 targets at a massive 21.1 yards per catch with nine touchdowns. That season, Wicks was one of the best downfield targets in college football, ranking 11th in total yards on passes of 20-plus yards.
In 2022, Wicks’ production took a dip, as he caught only 30 of the 72 passes thrown his way, and it is worth noting that PFF credited him with nine dropped passes. Wicks would average 14.3 yards per catch with a pair of touchdowns. For what it’s worth, by PFF’s grading system, he did not stand out as a run-blocker–an important aspect of playing receiver in Matt LaFleur’s offense.
Although there was a drop-off in production and some refinement needed, Wicks’ upside is evident, and he would bring some needed playmaking to the wide receiver position in Green Bay.
For more on what he can offer the Packers, here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com wrote in his pre-draft report:
"“Wicks proved in 2021 that he has a set of skills to threaten defenses with big-play potential, but he’s coming off a disappointing 2022 season. Focus drops have been an issue for him over the last two seasons, but they seemed to impact his overall confidence in 2022. He lacks attention to detail as a route runner but it is worth noting that he finds ways to separate with instincts and pure athleticism. Wicks has talent to cultivate, but gaining the confidence of a GM, head coach or quarterback must start with catching the football more consistently.”"
The Packers are in need of both quality and quantity at the receiver position. At the moment, they have only five receivers on the roster, with Romeo Doubs being the most experienced with 529 snaps. Bo Melton and Jeff Cotton, meanwhile, don’t have any, and Samori Toure has barely over 100. As already alluded to, this is a unit that could use more steady playmaking in 2023 as well.
The addition of Wicks would provide a complimentary deep threat to Doubs and Christian Watson. While both are capable of winning downfield, Watson and Doubs are going to take on larger roles this season, something LaFleur discussed at the NFL Owners’ Meetings, which means each will be running a wider variety of routes. With a vertical presence that defenses have to respect, that will help create better spacing and room underneath for Watson and Doubs to operate.
Of the Packers’ top 30 visits from 2022, six ended up as draft picks, and another three spent time with Green Bay in some capacity.