A pre-draft visit to Green Bay helped wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks win over the Packers.
Wicks, one of the team’s 30 visitors before the draft, became the Packers’ pick at No. 159 overall in the fifth round. According to receivers coach Jason Vrable, Wicks was impressive during the in-person meeting with the Packers.
“He’s so intelligent on his visit, the way he was writing on the board and articulating his plays,” Vrable said this week. “I think that’s what you get from those visits more than a Zoom call. You can really feel the character and passion of the person, and his love of the game. He knew his system inside and out and could communicate, and you can feel that connection, just like a I did with Rome (Doubs) and Christian (Watson) and Samori (Toure). I think he did a tremendous job on his visit, he was himself, and he carries himself in a very professional demeanor. I think he’s a true pro right away. I haven’t had to talk to him about how to study or go about it because he just had that mentality about him.”
In 2022, the Packers drafted Watson, Doubs and Toure at receiver after all three took pre-draft visits.
Wicks was one of four Packers draft picks to take pre-draft visits to Green Bay in 2023.
Wicks broke out during a record-breaking 2021 season that saw him break the school record for receiving yards (1,203) in a single season. He took a step back and suffered an injury in 2022, but the Packers got a chance to see Wicks up close during the Senior Bowl and his pre-draft visit.
“When he left, I think everybody in our building was like, ‘Yep, I think that guy fits the Green Bay way of what we want,'” Vrable said.
Wicks checked all the boxes for the Packers at wide receiver in terms of size, athleticism, collegiate production, Senior Bowl participation and pre-draft visitor status.
