Tyrus Wheat was oftentimes used as the X-factor on the defense, moving around between an inside linebacker spot and a rush edge in your traditional 3-4 front. I don’t believe he will have such value at the next level due to a lack of athletic ability to play inside linebacker, but his downhill style is what Mississippi State was trying to utilize.
HT: 6021
WT: 265
Year: Super Senior
High School: Amite (Amite, LA)
Rating: 3-star (0.8506)
JUCO: Copiah-Lincoln (Wesson, MS)
JUCO Rating: 3-star (0.8722)
Tyrus Wheat scouting notes
Pros:
- Excellent quickness.
- Very strong upper body.
- Strong lower body generates some drive and push off of the snap.
- Has a decent shoulder dip that he uses upon engagement that will get him some leverage around the edge.
- Uses his hands well to utilize his power. Likes to get his hands up into the upper chest and bully the tackle back when he can.
- Tough tackler. Hits well. Tends not to wrap up and instead uses his power to knock players over.
- Gets to his zone quickly but doesn’t have the body coordination to watch the quarterback as he drops. Tends to watch the play developing around him as he gets into his zone.
Cons:
- Not particularly mobile in the open field. Moves better than his size would suggest, but overall his athletic ability and speed is very average.
- Does not display good lateral quickness. Struggles to move from side to side.
- Doesn’t have good body control. A lot of wasted motion, doesn’t change direction well either.
- Decent first step. Inconsistent with it – sometimes looks good and other times looks very slow. Seems to be slowed down by cold weather.
- Overall average explosion.
- Struggles to work his hands when he doesn’t have good initial placement. Struggled even to work off of blocks against tight ends.
- Not someone that I’d want to have out in space.
- Pursuit angles are normally under-pursued and he struggles to work to make the tackle.
- Lacks a tremendous amount of instinct overall. Doesn’t have a natural feel for where the play is developing. Not often in position to make a play. So often out of position.
