Green Bay Packers select Georgia defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt in 2022 NFL Draft
The Green Bay Packers are banking on Georgia product Devonte Wyatt to come in and transform their interior defensive line. He did it throughout his time in Athens, and the former Bulldogs defensive lineman will be expected to do the same in his NFL career. That’s why the Packers took him off the board early in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday night, picking him No. 28 overall.
During his time with the Bulldogs, Wyatt elevated his game consistently, leading an exceptional Georgia defense as a disruptive defensive lineman. Last season, Wyatt realized his dream of bringing a championship to Georgia, helping to end a drought that spanned over 40 years when the Bulldogs defeated Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Additionally, the talented defensive lineman has had to fight for his spot in the past, joining Georgia in 2018 after a season at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Most importantly to the Packers, Wyatt has the drive to evolve into one of the top defensive lineman in the entire NFL. He was dominant at time for Georgia, accumulating 103 total tackles, 5.0 sacks and two forced fumbles for a loaded Bulldogs squad over four seasons.
A former four-star recruit in the class of 2017, Wyatt was the No. 25 defensive lineman in the nation per the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. Wyatt played his high school football at Towers in Decatur, Georgia. Continuing, Wyatt began his high school career as a running back and track star, proving his immense athleticism. The versatile defensive lineman improved each season at Georgia, showing there’s high potential with his skillset.
What NFL draft analysts are saying about Devonte Wyatt
Furthermore, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com broke down what Devonte Wyatt can bring to the NFL in his recent scout of the defensive lineman’s draft profile. The analyst compared the Georgia product to Maliek Collins, a former third round defensive lineman out of Nebraska who’s was a plug in the middle of the Dallas Cowboys defensive line after the franchise drafted him drafted him 67th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. Now, he’s a staple in the defensive line of the Houston Texans, accumulating 128 total tackles and 17.0 sacks over his career.
“Highly active defensive tackle with decent strength,” wrote Zierlein. “Wyatt is made for movement and disruptions. He helped himself in 2021 with better tape both against the run and as a pass rusher. His lateral quickness is useful in beating zone blocks and in sliding across the front in a game-based pass rush. Wyatt has adequate strength but struggles to withstand a second blocker.
“The traits are average, but the effort is consistent and Wyatt should fit nicely as a rotational, gap-seeking three-technique with disruptive flashes.”