2016 NFL Draft: early look at Mississippi State’s De’Runnya Wilson

Mississippi State’s De’Runnya Wilson is an absolute beast of a wide receiver. His combination of size and bulk creates a real mismatch problem for the defense. He is another productive season away from hearing his name called early during the 2016 NFL Draft.

Wilson is a physical player who knows how to use his size to his advantage. He does a great job presenting the quarterback a big target while boxing out the defender. Wilson is an aggressive player in that he routinely attacks the ball at its highest point.

Mississippi State likes to run the football and Wilson is more than a willing blocker. He does a great job gaining inside hands and driving his legs.

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His willingness to work back to the quarterback and pluck the ball away from his frame is a good example of his desire to make a play. This clip shows Wilson running a clean route, working back to the quarterback, generating separation and plucking the ball away from this body:

Wilson’s strong and reliable hands are a real asset and allow him to make plays in traffic. His ability to make a catch with a defender on his back is why he’s such a red zone threat. This clip shows an example of Wilson’s hand strength (click on the video for a better view):

One area that evaluators will monitor is his speed. Wilson isn’t a burner but does show enough quickness to stretch the field. Thanks to his size, he doesn’t need to have elite speed but just enough to create some separation.

Wilson has put himself in the first-round discussion and only needs to continue his strong play to maintain his draft position.

Current Draft Position: Top-15