Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Tyree Wilson will certainly have expectations coming into his second season, though training camp isn’t painting a promising picture so far.
Raiders fans were gushing over pictures of Wilson surfacing earlier in the offseason. Wilson was clearly impressing observers, having put on some serious mass—though, let’s be honest, the second-year player has always had a remarkable physique. A true physical freak of nature, and then you add on more muscle? Oh yeah.
However, muscles and raw power will only get you so far. From a statistical perspective, Wilson’s rookie campaign left much to be desired. To be fair, he faced numerous well-documented challenges.
Aside from muscle gain, how is it all coming together in what will surely be a pivotal year for the team’s first round pick from last year?
Raiders Training Camp: Tyree Wilson isn’t impressing, per beat reporter…
Full disclosure: like any report, there are elements of opinion associated with it—especially when it comes to the Raiders. Nevertheless, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur shed light on how it’s going for Wilson at the moment.
“I wouldn’t say Tyree has had a great camp. I think Tyree is still kind of a project. All offseason we heard about Tyree having a great offseason and going to really take off this year. I don’t know if he is going to have an impact this year, which is fine because they have other guys, but for a guy who was a first-round pick, I think he still struggles at times getting off the ball. I wouldn’t say he has taken another step forward at this camp so far.”
No one is saying Wilson isn’t doing the work. His teammate and defensive leader, Maxx Crosby, has vouched for him, citing his talent and physical tools without undermining his effort; the kid is doing his best. That being said, maybe he just doesn’t have the burst and explosiveness Raiders fans are hoping he has. As Tafur pointed out, Wilson’s status as a first-round pick is ever-present. It’s a conundrum for sure; you hope that with time and the appropriate guidance, Wilson will take that next leap. On the other hand, when a player is drafted as high as Wilson was, the team needs to see an early return on their investment.
Perhaps preseason will give us a clearer picture of where Wilson truly is at.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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