{"id":58838,"date":"2019-02-19T10:00:29","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T15:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnfl.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=58838"},"modified":"2021-06-02T20:55:48","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T00:55:48","slug":"caleb-wilson-2019-nfl-draft-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2019\/02\/19\/caleb-wilson-2019-nfl-draft-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Caleb Wilson 2019 NFL Draft Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Overview<br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>Position: <\/strong>Tight end<br \/>\n<strong>Height: <\/strong>6\u20195\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>Weight: <\/strong>235 pounds<br \/>\n<strong>School: <\/strong>UCLA Bruins<\/p>\n<p><strong>Combine Performance Data<br \/>\n40-yard dash<\/strong>: 4.56 seconds (second among tight ends)<br \/>\n<strong>Vertical jump<\/strong>: 29.0 inches<br \/>\n<strong>Broad jump<\/strong>: 9 feet, 5 inches<br \/>\n<strong>Three-cone drill<\/strong>: 7.20 seconds<br \/>\n<strong>20-yard shuttle<\/strong>: 4.40 seconds<br \/>\n<strong>60-yard shuttle<\/strong>: 12.18 seconds<\/p>\n<h1><strong>Caleb Wilson 2019 NFL Draft Profile<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/caleb-wilson-2.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Caleb Wilson<\/strong><\/a> enters the draft having finished his junior season at UCLA. Going into college he was a three-star recruit out of Gardena, CA with only three offers, including UCLA, (the other two were Central Arkansas and Old Dominion). At Serra High he was actually sharing quarterback duties with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/khalil-tate-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Khalil Tate<\/a><\/strong> before converting to tight end.<\/p>\n<p>Over his three years in Westwood, he turned himself into the go-to receiver in tough situations for three different quarterbacks. As a sophomore, with <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/josh-rosen-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Josh Rosen<\/a><\/strong> at quarterback, Wilson had 38 catches for 490 in just five games, missing much of the season with an injury. He had 15 catches for 208 yards in the season opener against Texas A&amp;M.<\/p>\n<p>In his junior season, Wilson finished with 60 receptions for 965 yards and four touchdowns. He became the primary receiver in \u201cmust-have\u201d situations for freshman quarterback <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/dorian-thompson-robinson-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dorian Thompson-Robinson<\/a><\/strong>, as well as grad transfer quarterback <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/wilton-speight-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wilton Speight<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0Wilson averaged 16 yards per catch as a junior with a long of 66 yards. He was named All-Pac 12.<\/p>\n<p>Wilson also became one of the on-field leaders, when as a junior, he was one of the more game-experienced players on what was one of the four youngest teams in the country. He was frequently one of the players head coach <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/chip-kelly-2.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chip Kelly<\/a><\/strong> would put in the post-game press conference as a face and voice of the team.<\/p>\n<h2>Strengths<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Very good at finding the open window in a zone defense and having the patience to sit for the pass;<\/li>\n<li>Boxes out defenders in man-to-man coverage in underneath coverage;<\/li>\n<li>Catches very well through contact;<\/li>\n<li>Good receiver type\/technique hands for a tight end;<\/li>\n<li>While he lacks explosive burst after the catch, he is very good with body control and turning upfield for more yards;<\/li>\n<li>Strong for his frame;<\/li>\n<li>Good route runner.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Weaknesses<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Not a particularly strong blocker for a tight end;<\/li>\n<li>Needs to add mass to be an NFL tight end;<\/li>\n<li>Doesn\u2019t have great lateral quickness which is an issue on pass blocking;<\/li>\n<li>Doesn\u2019t lower his pads\/shoulders to take on smaller defensive backs after a catch;<\/li>\n<li>NFL scouts we have talked to via third-person contacts say he needs to improve basic blocking techniques.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>NFL Comparison: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/jimmy-graham-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jimmy Graham<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Teams With Need at Position: <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams\/bills\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Buffalo Bills<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams\/seahawks\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Seattle Seahawks<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams\/jaguars\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams\/bengals\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cincinnati Bengals<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams\/patriots\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New England Patriots<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams\/broncos\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Denver Broncos<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/nfl-teams\/bears\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chicago Bears<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Projection: <\/strong>Early to mid-fourth round<\/p>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>While Wilson certainly has many skills, he also is a bit of a tweener. He has the possession and route skills, but not the speed of an out receiver. He has the hand strength and boxing out skills, but not the blocking ability or physical frame of a prototypical NFL tight end.<\/p>\n<p>This is a good, if not elite, draft for tight ends. There are two from Iowa alone, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/noah-fant-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Noah Fant<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/tj-hockenson-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">T.J. Hockenson<\/a><\/strong>, that figure to go in the top three among the position. That puts Wilson anywhere from fourth to sixth among the tight ends. It did not help that he had a very mediocre Senior Bowl in front of the NFL scouts. He had four catches for 24 yards but also had an unconscionable fumble along the sidelines.<\/p>\n<p>UCLA coach Chip Kelly regularly vows for Wilson\u2019s work ethic. If Wilson can improve significantly in his blocking, he can fit into the new model of NFL tight end that is equal parts receiver and blocker. The best home for him now would be a place where he goes in as a number two tight end so that he gets some work and development for a year or two before being called upon to be the guy.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"sb76b6shQklmEl2VDrRJTw\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/857223140\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'sb76b6shQklmEl2VDrRJTw',sig:'Durie9O8T_7SLyA-4eEdPt1Dzlj6Er4CHf7sFSaZMog=',w:'594px',h:'401px',items:'857223140',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Caleb Wilson 2019 NFL Draft Profile; the UCLA tight end has been a go-to target for two years, but is he more receiver than tight end?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1534,"featured_media":58841,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647],"tags":[4623,61,40,1173],"class_list":["post-58838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","tag-caleb-wilson","tag-football","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-draft"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1534"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58838"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58838\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}