WR Ford-Wheaton working on fine tuning ahead of NFL Draft
The NFL Draft process for Bryce Ford-Wheaton has certainly been eye-opening.
The North Carolina native wrapped up his senior season leading the team with 62 catches for 675 yards and 7 touchdowns before bypassing the opportunity to spend another year at the college level and pursue his dreams of playing professional football.
Those dreams took a major step when Ford-Wheaton put on a show at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis running a 4.38 40-yard dash at 6-foot-3, 225-pounds and posting a vertical leap of 41-inches. That 40-time was in the top three at his position, while the vertical leap was tied for first overall.
And with those type of results, Ford-Wheaton didn’t necessarily need to re-test at his Pro Day in Morgantown but he did want to showcase his abilities as a wide receiver.
“I needed to show I’m a football player and I can still play football,” he said.
Ford-Wheaton spent time training with the Receiver Factory as well as time in Florida where he was able to work with former professional wide receivers such as Anquan Boldin and Pierre Garcon.
The ups and downs of the process is something that Ford-Wheaton has experienced first-hand and he recalled one instance in particular where an unnamed NFL personnel tried to elicit a reaction from him.
“One scout told me sometime I turn on your tape and I see Calvin Johnson and sometimes I turn your tape on and you couldn’t play on a JUCO team in Iowa,” he said.
Instead of letting that bother him the pass catcher instead flashed a smile as he could see that the intention of the exercise was to get him to act out.
He additionally has met with plenty of wide receiver coaches and offensive coordinators during the course of the process as well.
On the field, Ford-Wheaton understands that he has prove that he is ready to be more consistent at the position and can’t help but look back at how far he’s come over his career. When looking back at his film from 2019, Ford-Wheaton can’t help but focus on the plays he missed and where he has developed.
“And I still feel like I’m not a finished product. I have a lot more room to improve,” he said.
Ford-Wheaton had several visits set up with NFL teams over the past several weeks while he remained in Morgantown to continue to train with West Virginia strength and conditioning coach Mike Joseph.
The goal was to be in football shape for the time mini-camps roll around and to continue to work on getting in and out of his routes and catching the ball cleanly.
“Just play to my size. Be as big as I need to be. Separation can be something that’s absolutely necessary for a smaller receiver but if I’m 6-foot-3, 225-pounds there’s not too many places or too many instances that the ball is in the air and I can’t get a chance on it,” he said.
And it’s not just at wide receiver where Ford-Wheaton believes he can make an impact. He is more than willing to take a role on special teams to showcase his worth for NFL teams as he continues to develop.
“Whatever I can do to affect the game,” he said.
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