University of Connecticut Profile
Name: Blidi Wreh-Wilson
Height: 6' - 2"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Class: RS Senior
Hometown: Edinboro, PA
Date of Birth: December 5th, 1989 (23 yrs old)
High School: General McLane HS
Huskies Career:
2012 RS Senior Year: Played in and started 11 games...honored as the team's Most Valuable Player...named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team...recorded 47 tackles on the season...made seven tackles at Western Michigan (Sept.22), Rutgers (Oct. 6) and USF (Nov. 3)...had five tackles, a career-high four pass breakups and an interception in the end zone during the second overtime in a win at Louisville (Nov. 24)...made 39 starts in 46 career games...posted 181 career tackles and eight interceptions for 171 return yards and a pair of scores.
2011 RS Junior Year: Missed much of the season with a knee injury suffered in the Buffalo game (Sept. 24) ... missed the next five games and returned for the final three ... made a career-high nine tackles against Iowa State (Sept. 16) ... had seven tackles with an interception in win over Rutgers (Nov. 26).
2010 RS Sophomore Year: Started all 13 games for the Huskies at cornerback in 2010...had four interceptions on the season and returned two of them for touchdowns...his two interception returns for TDs ties a single-season best...named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for his game against Vanderbilt (Oct. 2) when he had a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown and returned a fumble for 24 yards...had a 46-yard interception return for a TD against Buffalo (Sept. 25)...had seven tackles in win against Pittsburgh (Nov. 11)...had seven tackles vs. Oklahoma (Jan. 1) in Tostitos Fiesta Bowl...had six tackles against Louisville (Oct. 23)...earned the Defensive Game Ball vs. Vanderbilt.
2009 RS Freshman Year: Gained great experience in first year of collegiate play with action in all 13 games and started nine games, including the final seven of the season....had 40 tackles with one interception...interception came in win vs. Louisville (Oct. 17)...also led the team with six pass breakups...had nine tackles vs. Cincinnati(Nov. 7) and six in win vs. Syracuse (Nov. 28).
2008 Freshman Year: Redshirted ... Named Defensive Scout Team Player of the Week before the Virginia (Sept. 13) and South Florida(Nov. 23) games ... Named the Special Team Scout Team Player of the Week before the North Carolina game (Oct. 4).
2012 RS Senior Highlights:
2011 RS Junior Highlights:
Strengths (+):
+ Plays special teams
+ Great in zone
+ Good closing speed
+ Always looking to play the ball
+ Can tackle in space
+ Showed improvement from 2011 to 2012 (overall)
+ Versatile; can play outside and in the slot
+ Shows up in the clutch (INT of Bridgewater in 3OT)
Weaknesses (-):
- Not overly physical
- Vertical might be a problem vs. bigger receivers and jump balls
- Seems to struggle in general against bigger receivers
- Tends to take poor angles against the run (did show some improvement in '12)
- Fails to wrap up the ball carrier on occasion
- Lack of physicality allows the inside routes to beat him
Raiders Outlook:
Every time I watch Wreh-Wilson I see a playmaker -- with him tipping passes or intercepting them. That said there seems a group of people, Rob Rang among them, that question Wreh-Wilson's ability to play in man coverage situations. I have to assume this is based on his overall lack of physical play for a corner of his size. Despite that being a problem, that is definitely something that can be worked on once he reaches the pros. Spending more time in the weight room and being pushed by the coaches would help. I do agree with Rang that Wreh-Wilson's strengths are playing in a zone scheme, but the same instincts that make him excel there are evident in his man-to-man coverages. The other problem is I have no idea if the coaches really wanted him doing much press coverage.
The Raiders seem extremely likely to address the corner back position in both Free Agency and the Draft. I also believe that they are likely to draft multiple players they had the opportunity to coach during the Senior Bowl process. Wreh-Wilson seems one of the likely candidates as he fills a position of need and others at the CB spot like Jamar Taylor and Desmond Trufant will likely be selected sometime between the Raiders first pick and their next one in the 3rd round. I have seen Wreh-Wilson projected anywhere from the 2nd to the 4th round, but most seem to think he will go more towards the end of that broad spectrum.
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