The Basics
School: Lawrence Free State (KS)
Position: DT
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4/260 pounds
Stars: 3
Other offers: Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Kansas, Rice
247 Profile
Twitter: @fred_wyatt1
What You Should Know
Wyatt fills a need on the defensive line for Northwestern, and was the second defensive tackle commit in the class of 2014. He doubled as an offensive tackle in high school, but will feature exclusively on the defensive side of the ball at the next level.
Wyatt’s body is more reminiscent of that of a defensive end or offensive tackle. At 260, he could get pushed around by some bigger offensive guards and centers in the Big Ten, but his athleticism and versatility will be virtues, and he'll be even better once he puts on weight. He’s also the son of a defensive line coach (Kansas’ Buddy Wyatt), which may or may not say something about his technique and ability to read schemes.
Wyatt will almost certainly redshirt, so his first chance to contribute will be in 2015. It’s really difficult to predict what the depth chart will look like a year and a half from now, but if Wyatt can add some strength, he’ll have the opportunity to assert himself into an interior defensive line rotation that, at times this past year, got pushed around. For Northwestern’s defense to become one that annually ranks in the top half of the Big Ten, it’ll need players like Wyatt to develop into difference makers.
Quotable
“I just really can’t say enough about the program and where it’s headed,” Wyatt told InsideNU after announcing his commitment. “It’s definitely going places.”