West Virginia's Chase Wilson isn't a name that will set the pre-draft internet ablaze, but the linebackers who quietly rack up 100-tackle seasons in run-first fronts tend to make dynasty rosters look brilliant two years after the fact. A four-year starter in the Big 12, Wilson played every snap like a man who takes ball-carrier survival personally — violent, assignment-sound, and relentless from sideline to sideline. At 6'2", 235 pounds, he profiles as the modern MIKE linebacker that contending defenses are quietly desperate to find.
What makes Wilson compelling right now is the draft positioning. Both scouts project him as a Day 2 pick in the 40–60 range of Round 2, which means you're potentially getting a plug-and-play starter at roughly the same cost teams paid for post-hype linebackers who delivered half the production. His run-stuffing grade is elite across both reports, his tackling is technically sound, and he shows legitimate blitz upside that most analysts have barely scratched the surface on. In IDP formats, Day 2 LBs with 100-tackle floors and blitz packages are exactly what you want stashed.
STRENGTHS
Wilson's calling card is an ability to stuff the run before it develops. The film shows a linebacker who attacks creases downhill without over-pursuing — he fills alleys violently, stacks and sheds double teams, and is comfortable in two-gap assignments against power looks. This isn't a player who makes the play when he's clean; he makes it when a 315-pound guard is trying to move him off his spot. Scout 2 awarded him a 9/10 in run defense, one of the highest individual trait grades in this class, pointing to rep after rep of combo-block shedding and gap disruption that reveals genuine technique, not just raw aggression.
The blitz package is the underrated sleeper trait. Wilson generates a quick, sudden first step off the snap that disrupts backfield timing — Scout 2 identified sack and pressure frames on looping A-gap runs and delayed blitzes that suggest a coordinator can use him as a chess piece on third downs rather than just a two-down thumper. His pre-snap processing grades at 8/10, meaning he gets himself into the right position before the snap and rarely has to recover. The combination of instincts and blitz juice is the trait cocktail that turns a solid LB2 into an LB1 in the right system.
Motor is non-negotiable. Wilson's pursuit angles in the open field are textbook — he's not chasing ball-carriers, he's anticipating them, arriving at the tackle point via the shortest path rather than reacting and closing. His tackling is a wrap-and-drag style that keeps plays from turning into extra yards; he rarely misses, finishes through contact, and forces fumble situations in pile-ups. Scout 1 noted the same quality: this is a player who draws teammates to the football by being there first every single time.
CONCERNS
Coverage is the legitimate ceiling-capper, and both scouts call it plainly. Scout 2 graded coverage at 5/10 — stiff hip transitions against slot receivers and pass-catching backs allow TEs and RBs to sit down in zones before Wilson can close. He's a functional zone dropper who reads flat routes correctly, but man coverage against a weapon TE or a quick slot is a mismatch waiting to happen. In a pass-funnel defensive scheme, he could get schemed out of third-down snaps entirely, which shrinks his role at the NFL level considerably.
Scheme fit is narrow by both accounts — Wilson thrives in run-first, two-high shell defenses (think Pittsburgh or Baltimore-type fronts) and tanks his value in zone-heavy or spread-pass schemes. That dependency means dynasty managers need to track where he lands; the wrong roster drops his IDP ceiling from LB1 upside to LB2 floor. His frame at 235 pounds is also at the light end for a true MIKE in the NFL power game — elite gap-blocking guards will test him long-term, and his durability absorbing that punishment over 17 games per season is an open question.
SCOUT GRADES
Scout 1 assessed Wilson at 72/100 with a Round 2 projection in the 40–55 range, flagging the injury history concern and noting that coverage limitations prevent him from cracking the top tier of this linebacker class. Scout 1's most compelling observation was that Wilson's run-stopping grade might be the best of any linebacker available — the floor skill is elite even if the ceiling in coverage-heavy defensive packages is capped. The 72 score reflects a player whose medical record creates uncertainty around an otherwise strong profile.
Scout 2 was more bullish, landing at 82/100 with a Round 2 projection of Pick 40–60 and a "Day 2 starter potential" label. Scout 2 pointed to a near-complete package on the run-defense and tackling side, with the blitz upside as the growth driver that could push Wilson toward LB1 territory in dynasty by Year 3. Both scouts independently converged on the Logan Wilson (Bengals) comparison as the floor — a smart, run-sound linebacker who develops into a reliable coverage contributor — with the ceiling hinging on whether the hips unlock in space at the next level.
PROJECTION
Year 1, Wilson is an IDP LB2 with an 80–100 tackle floor in any run-first scheme. He will contribute immediately as a two-down MIKE who handles gap integrity and excels as a tone-setter in the run game — expect him to start by midseason if his landing spot is a power-front defense. Dynasty managers should target him in the second half of rookie drafts as a high-floor hold who won't lose you weeks but could absolutely win you a championship by Year 2.
The Year 2–3 trajectory depends entirely on two things: scheme and blitz usage. If his defensive coordinator expands his blitz package — and the raw material is clearly there — Wilson develops into a legitimate LB1 with sack upside supplementing the tackle volume. If coverage limitations keep him off the field on third downs, the ceiling stabilizes around a reliable but unspectacular LB2. Monitor the landing spot closely at draft time; in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, or a similar run-identity defense, this is a player you want rostered before anyone else figures it out.
View Chase Wilson's full player profile, measurables, and scouting breakdown →
🎬 All-22 Film Analysis Update
*Updated after All-22 film review by Scout1 and Scout2.*
Film Score: 77.0/100 (→ No change from base score of 77.0)
Composite Score: 76.5
Scout1 Assessment > ⚠️ **FILM PIPELINE FLAG — READ BEFORE USING THIS REPORT** > > The film package labeled "Chase Wilson, LB, West Virginia" contains a significant sourcing error. None of the 55 frames depict a player named Chase Wilson from West Virginia. The actual content is as follows: > > - **highlights_001–018** (labeled "GSLING / Chase Bisontis"): Film of **Chase Bisontis, OG #71, Texas A&M** — an offensive lineman, 6050/315 lbs, graded Round 2 by the source. **Completely unrelated to this LB report.** Fra...
Scout2 Assessment **The Short Version** Chase Wilson is a classic thumper MIKE LB who stuffs the run like it's his job—violent, instinctive, and assignment-sound—but his hips don't flip in space, making him a coverage bust waiting to happen. Contrarian take: Everyone's sleeping on his blitz upside; this guy's a poor man's Devin White if he lands in the right D.
*Film analysis is based on All-22 footage reviewed independently by two scouts. Scores reflect on-field evidence and may differ from pre-film model projections.*