High School and College Career

Dontayvion Wicks, was a 3-star recruit prior to attending the University of Virginia. In his freshman year at Virginia, Wicks participated in 9 games and showed promising skills as a receiver. He caught 3 receptions for a total of 61 yards with an impressive average of 20.3 yards per reception, with one touchdown to his name.

The following year, as a sophomore in 2021, Wicks firmly established himself as a key player for the Virginia Cavaliers. He played 12 games and impressively caught 57 catches for a total of 1201 yards with an average of 21.1 yards per catch. Notably, he scored 9 touchdowns and had a remarkable quarterback rating when targeted of 128.5. These accomplishments are indicative of his remarkable skills on the field, and mark him as one of the top talents for his team.

The 2022 season saw Wicks enter his junior year at Virginia. Despite only playing in 8 games, his performance was respectable, though less impressive than in previous years. He caught 30 passes for a total of 430 yards, averaging 14.3 yards per catch, with 2 touchdowns.

Dontayvion Wicks Scouting Report Introduction

Dontayvion Wicks, a former high school quarterback and wide receiver who also played basketball, had an impressive 2021 season where he broke the Virginia record for receiving yards in a season. However, his 2022 campaign saw a notable dip in production, which can be attributed to a new offensive scheme, issues with drops, and not being consistently aligned with his quarterback.

Despite these setbacks, Wicks is a dynamic weapon as a vertical receiver, with exceptional ball skills and the ability to outpace cornerbacks. His success as a route-runner is due to his nuanced release techniques that quickly enable him to separate from defenders. Wicks’ ability to win down the field opens up opportunities for him as a route-runner, and he does well to vary his pace and run deceptive routes. He has top-notch ball skills and can locate, track, and adjust to the flight of the football with ease. In contested situations, Wicks has shown the ability to dominate and comes out on top. Additionally, he brings a competitive and tough attitude to the field and puts up a fight as a blocker and while playing through contact.

However, there are some concerns surrounding Wicks, mainly regarding drops and ball security. He tends to use his body to finish catches and isn’t consistent with securing the ball with his hands. His build also limits his ability to win after the catch, and he hasn’t shown much consistency in making defenders miss. Although his 2022 season was plagued by several challenges, his impact did not meet the high expectations set after his exceptional 2021 campaign.

Despite these setbacks, Wicks has the potential to become a crucial component of any NFL passing offense with continued development. At a minimum, he could be an outstanding special teamer due to his size, athleticism, and toughness. He could also provide value as a WR3 or 4 if he can rectify his concerns and continue improving his skills. As he works on his consistency issues and improves his elusiveness, Wicks is poised to have a successful career in the NFL.

Strengths

Wicks has excellent body strength, which enables him to resist tackles and squirm out of them when necessary. His coordination is equally impressive, allowing him to maneuver his frame between defenders and escape from their grasp.

With his strong hands, Wicks is an asset to any NFL team’s wide receiver coach and quarterback. He has the ability to track the deep ball efficiently over either shoulder, bringing in passes effortlessly without breaking stride downfield.

Wicks has a combination of good speed and size. He accelerates off the line better than most big receivers, and his speed is such that he can outrun angles almost instantaneously. Wicks is also agile and flexible, enabling him to keep up the pace as he turns and weaves. He is an impressive athlete with very quick acceleration, reaching his top speed in record time and stretching the field to support his team’s offense.

Overall, Wicks is a remarkable athlete who possesses a diverse set of strengths that make him an essential asset to any NFL team. His strong hands, excellent balance, quick acceleration, and smooth movements undoubtedly make him a dangerous threat on the field, and a player that opposing teams will struggle to contain.

Weaknesses

When evaluating the skills and abilities of wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, it is notable that he occasionally struggles to secure deep throws with his hands, instead allowing the ball to make contact with his chest or pads. While this technique may work in some situations, it is generally considered less reliable and may lead to unnecessary drops.

Another area of concern for Wicks is his ability to sit down against zone coverage. This refers to the technique of finding open areas on the field when the defense is playing a zone defense rather than man-to-man coverage. In these situations, receivers must have a keen awareness of where they need to be to create separation from defenders and make themselves available for passes.

Finally, it is worth noting that Wicks may struggle to create separation against faster cornerbacks. He lacks top-end speed and quickness. To make up for this, he needs to become an expert route runner and a technician when it comes to hand use.

Dontayvion Wicks is our 82nd prospect on our draft big board.