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By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: During the 2019 season, the Texas A&M staff was raving about their freshman tight end to NFL evaluators coming through College State, and Wydermyer did not disappoint, flashing big-time potential with 32 receptions for 447 yards and six touchdowns. As a sophomore, Wydermyer was even better, helping to make up for the loss of Jhamon Ausbon and other receivers. Wydermyer was a reliable target for Kellen Mond in 2020, snatching 45 catches for 502 yards and six touchdowns. In 2021, Wydermyer played well, but the Texas A&M offense struggled with some weak quarterback injuries and weak, inconsistent play from the position. That hurt Wydermyer’s production, as he totaled 40 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns.
The NFL is a matchup-driven league, and offensive coordinators are always seeking receiving weapons who can provide an edge over defensive backs. Dangerous tight ends with the skills to hurt defenses through the air are a highly sought after commodity, and Wydermyer should have plenty of teams salivating at the idea of adding him to their offense. He has a good skill set for the NFL, with mismatch size, enough speed, athleticism, and excellent route-running for a big-bodied tight end.
As a receiver, Wydermyer is a dynamic weapon who is a coverage problem. Team sources have raved about his route-running, and that is a real asset for him getting open for his quarterback. Wydermyer doesn’t take extra steps, is crisp on his cuts, and will suddenly create space from defenders. For the next level, his route-running is very advanced.
Wydermyer’s mismatch size makes him a problem for defensive backs because he towers over them with his large wing span and catching radius. Hence even while covered, Wydermyer is capable of making a big play for his quarterback by winning 50-50 contested catches. On top of his height and thick frame, Wydermyer has quality speed and quickness. He gets downfield quickly and is adept at finding soft spots in coverage. With his good foot speed, Wydermyer is too fast for most linebackers and can burn them in man coverage. After the catch, he shows a second gear to accelerate for more yards, and his big size makes him tough to tackle in the secondary. His yards-after-the-catch ability makes him even more intriguing for the NFL.
Like the majority of most college tight ends, Wydermyer could stand to improve his blocking for the NFL. He has the size and strength to do it, so after some development, he could be a well-balanced player to attack defenses in both phases. He also could use work with his hands because he is prone to drops in bunches.
For the next level, Wydermyer looks like a future three-down starter with the potential to be become a Pro Bowl-caliber player. Depending on how he performs in pre-draft workouts and interviews, Wydermyer looks safe to be an early-round pick. He could get late first-round consideration and should not slide lower than the third round. The second round of the 2022 NFL Draft might be his most likely landing spot.
Player Comparison: O.J. Howard. Here is what a few team sources said about Wydermyer’s NFL comparison in the early going of the 2021 season.
“He has some similarities to O.J. Howard,” said a NFC director of player personnel. “O.J. was more athletic and the 40 time from Jalen might not be as good, but there are some similarities between the two as receivers.”
“O.J. Howard is a good comp on Wydermyer,” said an AFC director of college scouting. “They’re different types of athletes. Wydermyer is probably not as explosive or smooth as O.J., but [Wydermyer] still has mismatch ability at the position. The second round is a good starting point for him, but it depends on the overall depth at the position shapes out.”
RELATED LINKS:
2022 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s
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