Devon Wylie - WR

[FootballDad]

Just had a chance to check out the rookie mini-camp news for the Chiefs and came across this bit about Devon Wylie. As a 4th round pick, he IMHO is the steal of the draft for KC:

Wylie works all over the field
Fourth-round draft pick Devon Wylie is expected to compete for time as a slot receiver this season, but the speedster out of Fresno State worked as both an inside and outside receiver on Friday.
The workload appeared to pay off as Wylie’s debut left a positive first impression with Coach Crennel.
“He showed some pretty good quickness and things as far as catching the ball goes,” Crennel said. “What he was advertised as, it showed. I mean, he has really good quickness and he runs really good routes. I think he’ll be able to get a step on defenders and have a chance to make plays.”
Statistically, Wylie is the fastest player at minicamp and may in fact be the fastest player on the Chiefs roster as a whole. But after one day, Wylie says he already feels the change of speed at the NFL level.
“It’s very different,” Wylie said. “I’m going to have to increase my speed in my own way, and I’m going to have to harness it, keep my feet under me a little better. Today, I felt like I could have played a little better. I have to play as fast as I can all the time in order to keep my speed and use that as an edge.”
Wylie also addressed wearing jersey No. 83, which will no doubt keep the comparisons to Wes Welker flowing.
“I requested a number in the teens, and this was one of the only 80s number available,” Wylie explained. “It is just what was given to me, so I’m just rolling with it.”
There were only two numbers available in the 80s when Wylie was drafted (83 and 88). When seventh-round draft pick Junior Hemingway was issued No. 88, Wylie received the same jersey number as Welker.

 

[Don Wassall]

Wylie's been getting a lot of positive publicity since being drafted. I'd like to see the Chiefs dump the failed experiment named Dexter McCluster, which would signify that Wylie will have a significant role to play as a rookie.

I don't see him playing much other than the slot (and hopefully returning kicks) given the presence of Bowe, Breaston and Baldwin, but if he stays healthy Devon should be a dynamic receiver on what could be a high-scoring offense. He has the potential to be a "Wes Welker type" with the same amount of quickness and more straight-line speed. Matt Cassel likes to throw short passes and dump-offs, so Wylie and Peyton Hillis could both have healthy receiving numbers this season if things go well.

 

[The Hock]

Wylie's teammate at Granite Bay High School, linebacker Miles Burris, was picked in the 5th round by the Oakland Raiders. One site I checked gave the Raiders an A for the Burris pick. Don't want to jinx him, but from his highlights he looks to have Clay Matthews-like potential.

 

[dwid]

Good that he is getting looks at both inside and outside receiver, there is no reason why he couldn't play on the outside. DeSean Jackson does it and is much smaller. Although I wouldn't mind him in the slot, because he has the quickness to make people miss, but his straight line speed is better than Welker, so we would see more homeruns. Just worried about the amount of carries Hillis will get if there is a White receiver, if he were in the more racially appropriate slot role then it might not affect it as much.

It would be interesting to see him race a fully healthy Jamaal Charles.

 

[sport historian]

I can't help but wonder if Devon Wylie could be related to Joe Wylie, an Oklahoma RB during 1970-72 when OU put in the wishbone. Joe Wylie had excellent speed. I recall him returning a punt for a TD in the 1972 Sugar Bowl.

Joe Wylie's best Oklahoma year was as a sophomore in 1970. He was slowed by injuries his last two seasons. Joe Wylie played for Portand's WFL team in 1974-75. He was drafted in the 4th round by the Raiders as a WR and had some other NFL tryouts without making a team.

 

[bearclaw500]

[h=3]Wylie has impressed since Friday’s preseason opener[/h]With one block, special teams coach Tom McMahon knew this could be the type of bring-back that Devon Wylie spent four years perfecting at Fresno State
An obvious and neck-wrenching facemask prevented Wylie from notching his first score as a professional player. But the rookie popped back up to his feet as a new player – one that’s capable of a game-changing play on special teams or elsewhere

“Wigglesâ€￾ has been hard to miss since that big return. He had his best day as a Chiefs player with two more electrifying plays this week. Wylie picked his moment perfectly. He cut past a diving defender, turned up field, and tapped into a new gear as he sprinted past the coverage team and Colquitt for a touchdown.

Wylie’s skills were put to the test as a receiver as well. In the 11-on-11 drills that closed practice earlier this week, quarterback Ricky Stanzi was flushed out of the pocket and had to roll to his right. He pointed at Wylie to turn his crossing route upfield, and Wylie spun to the corner of the end zone when Stanzi lofted up a pass.
The end result was a leaping, one-armed reception over cornerback Jacques Reeves that outshined Jonanthan Baldwin’s highlight-reel grab a few plays earlier.

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/articl...on-Wylie/564b1d16-3295-4d39-a906-9fcaa91e4a51

 

[Colonel_Reb]

It is interesting that they are calling Devon "Wiggles" although I guess having wiggle isn't exactly the same thing as having hip swivility, but it is better than most nicknames that fast White players get. Also interesting is the use of "tapped into a new gear" which I don't believe I've ever heard before.

 

[Don Wassall]

Poor Devon was signed to the Steelers practice squad. He's probably not aware of it but that's about the worst team he could be with. I hope he obtained a useful degree or he has connections for his post-football life, because it's extremely unlikely he's going to have an NFL career.

Edit: I just found this article where the Crawfords' receivers coach (who apparently never heard of Devon before the team signed him) explains why Wylie was added to the practice squad (which already has two "real" receivers on it). It can't be copied and pasted, so check out the link and decide for yourself if Wylie has any chance of getting an opportunity on the Rooney plantation: http://www.steelersdepot.com/2013/10/richard-mann-devon-wylie-practice-squad/

 

[FootballDad]

Poor Devon was signed to the Steelers practice squad. He's probably not aware of it but that's about the worst team he could be with. I hope he obtained a useful degree or he has connections for his post-football life, because it's extremely unlikely he's going to have an NFL career.

Edit: I just found this article where the Crawfords' receivers coach (who apparently never heard of Devon before the team signed him) explains why Wylie was added to the practice squad (which already has two "real" receivers on it). It can't be copied and pasted, so check out the link and decide for yourself if Wylie has any chance of getting an opportunity on the Rooney plantation: http://www.steelersdepot.com/2013/10/richard-mann-devon-wylie-practice-squad/

Based on those comments by the clueless receivers coach, he hasn't got a chance. As soon as the "real athlete" heals his broken pinkie, Wylie will have to find a job selling used cars. Sad too, as Wylie is probably the fastest player on the Crawfords roster.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

It seems all the BLAZING FAST white guys get whitewashed from the league to keep the stereotype intact. Matt Jones, Devon Wylie and Ryan Swope (all sub 4.4- and top 10 performers out of ALL COMBINE INVITEES in their respective years) and Sam McGuffie (4.28- top 20 fastest player in NFL history in the 40 in the Indianapolis electronic era- and possibly NFL record all round combine performance) all were treated radically unjust and wound up with the worst teams possible in their very short careers.