Bold predictions sees Raiders change first-round pick’s position

Tyree Wilson’s NFL career has not gone entirely as planned.

In 33 games, Wilson has logged 56 tackles (eight for loss), eight sacks and 28 pressures. Those are far from bad stats for a player after two seasons in the league, but it might not be what the Las Vegas Raiders expected to get from the 2023 seventh overall pick. Now with a new regime in power, Wilson still has a chance to showcase his potential, but his roster spot has been called into question more times than he would like.

However, one analyst’s group of bold predictions features a move regarding Wilson that could make his future prospects in the NFL brighter than ever.

The Raiders would be smart to try this new development plan for Wilson.

According to Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton, the continued recovery of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins from a Jones fracture should give the Raiders the green light to try Wilson out on the interior defensive line.

“At 6’6″, 275 pounds, Tyree Wilson has lined up inside in a pinch over the last two years. If he bulks up, the versatile defensive lineman can take on more snaps on the interior. The Raiders can experiment with his role to get more production out of the 2023 first-rounder,” Moton wrote.

While the Raiders try to remain optimistic about Wilkins’s recovery, some of the reports coming out are too worrisome to ignore.

“He’s not ready to get back out,” Carroll told reporters during OTAs in May. “We’re in the midst of a long, challenging process. Fortunately, there’s a lot of time, and we’re going to take every bit of it.”

Between the lack of clarity of Wilkins’s timeline and the severity of the injury in question, Wilson’s position switch might come more out of necessity than anything for the Raiders.

Wilson would almost certainly have to bulk up for a full position switch, as 275 pounds is relatively light for a defensive tackle. However, Wilson’s blend of pass-rush abilities and physical attributes could make him difficult for interior offensive linemen to stop. Even if Wilkins is ready for Week One, adding Wilson to the mix guarantees the Raiders have a deep rotation between Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce.

Kicking Wilson over to the inside is the kind of low-risk, potentially high-reward move that can push the first-round pick back on his star trajectory.