Personal Background

• All-Big 12 First Team by coaches and Waco Tribune-Herald, 2017
• All-Big 12 Second Team, 2016-2017
• Freshman All-American Honorable Mention by Campus Insiders, 2015
• Has NFL bloodlines: Son of Deatrich Wise Sr., drafted in 1988 (9^th round) by the Seattle Seahawks. Brother of Deatrich Wise Jr., drafted in 2017 (4^th round) by the New England Patriots.
• Redshirted his freshman season at Kansas in 2014.
• Major in Communication Studies. Minor in Business.

Courtesy of Kansas Football.

Injury History

• No significant injuries.

Production

• Double-digit TFLs in 2017 (16) and 2018 (12)
• Five sacks in 2017 and 2018
• 27+ solo tackles three straight seasons, 2016-2018
• Career Highlights – at West Virginia in 2018: 3.5 TFLs (5 total tackles) and 2 sacks; vs Texas in 2018: 3 TFLs (5 total tackles) and 1 sack; vs Southeast Missouri in 2017: 4 TFLs (5 total tackles) and 1 sack; vs Kansas State in 2017: 3 TFLs (4 total tackles) and 2.5 sacks

Film Reviewed

• Oklahoma State (2018)
• West Virginia (2018)
• Iowa State (2018)
• Texas (2018)

Combine Measurements and Testing

• Height: 6’3”
• Weight: 281 lbs
• Hand: 10”
• Arm: 33”

 

• 40 Yard Dash: 5.28
• Bench Press: 22
• Vertical Jump: 27-1/2”
• Broad Jump: 112” (9’4”)
• 3-Cone: 7.53 sec
• 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.37 sec

Strengths

• Has a tweener frame with decent arm length and good hand size. Possesses middle-range athleticism overall. Solid change of direction and lateral agility. Flashes some bend when turning the corner as well.
• Consistently plays with very good pad level.
• Can reset the line of scrimmage to disrupt angle, base, and down blocks by regularly engaging beneath the pads of offensive linemen.

• Will stalemate double teams with a wide, strong base and grip strength when allowed to anchor in place.

• Showcases good overall play strength when he combines his leg drive, hip roll, and arm extension with that lower pad level.
• Shows sufficient lateral agility to compete on slants across the blocker’s face to leverage his gap. Can help as the setup man on stunts.

• His upfield burst and get-off allow him to shoot into the gap against slower than average offensive linemen and compete with solid opponents.
• Displays good, active hands in both the run and pass game. Will reset his hands to keep his chest clear and showcases good arm extension to stack blockers. Does a good job battling and restarting his rush if initially stopped.

• Already has some proficiency with long-arm, swipe, push-pull, and dip moves with room to grow.

• Shows solid mental processing speed. Tracks the ball in the backfield sufficiently on option and misdirection plays.
• Solid in pursuit. Hustles after ball carriers across the field and can hurdle bodies while doing so. Shows pretty decent speed in the open field when he lengthens his stride.

Weaknesses

• Not a quick-twitch athlete. Lacks the burst and explosiveness to leverage gaps instantly. Won’t beat blockers with speed alone.
• Is more susceptible to giving ground in the run game while moving laterally.
• If he loses his pad level, he tends to lose the rep.

• Due to his lack of explosiveness, he can over-pursue into the gap in an attempt to beat his blocker or be ridden out of the play. This can open a cutback lane for the runner.
• He’ll also be stymied on slants or lateral moves when his opponent is patient in their stance or is quick to react and adjust.

Overall

Daniel Wise has the versatility and experience to play both inside at 3-technique and outside at 4- to 7-technique, but he fits best as a one-gapping interior defensive lineman due to his size and solid athleticism. His consistently low pad level and hand usage skills will allow him to contribute as a rotational defensive tackle his rookie year. By his third season, he could be a starter in the NFL. His lack of a quick-twitch lower body limits his ceiling, but he has the tools and potential to carve out a steady role for years to come.

Much of the former Jayhawk’s game is built on his lower pad level. He understands leverage and knows how to use it to his advantage. This allows him to compete versus any block to a point. However, when he gets too high at the point of contact, he’s usually cast aside or controlled by blockers. He’ll regularly defeat lower-level opponents and remain competitive against middle-of-the-road competition. He’ll have a more difficult time beating stronger- or faster-than-average lineman. But if he gains more play strength and continues to refine his hand-fighting techniques, he’ll be able to challenge the better blockers in the league.

Overall, the redshirt senior from Lewisville, Texas has a third- to fourth-round grade in this year’s draft. Some teams will look at his NFL pedigree — his father was drafted in 1988 and his brother was a fourth-round pick in 2017 — and select him as early as day two, trusting that his bloodline brings staying power. Otherwise, he’ll most likely come off the board in the fourth round this April. Front offices should see Daniel Wise as a player teams can win with, a man who already has tools in his toolkit with the room to grow and a family history that tells them he can meet most, if not all, of his potential.

 

You can follow Allan on Twitter at @AllanUy22