Dontayvion Wicks has had his ups and downs for the Green Bay Packers, but against Detroit on Thanksgiving, he had one of the best games of his young career in route to a massive win.

Following a sophomore season that was rife with struggle, the young receiver has put the wind back in his sails, reigniting hope among fans in regard to his future.

As Wicks comes into his own in year three, let’s take a moment to recap his career thus far.

The Rise

Dontayvion Wicks was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round in 2023, and prior to going pro, he already had an accolade to his name.

Playing his college ball at Virginia for the Cavaliers, Wicks broke the school’s single season receiving record—previously held by the great Herman Moore—with 1,203 yards as a junior in 2021.

That pedigree was enough to intrigue Green Bay, and as a result, the late-round selection saw some early success in the Green and Gold alongside fellow rookie, Jayden Reed.

In his first year with the team, Wicks was the Packers’ third-leading receiver, contributing five hundred and eighty-one yards and four touchdowns.

He only dropped 4.7% of his targets, and nearly 50% of his catches were “explosive receptions” which are receptions that lead to sixteen yards or more.

Following the promising debut, his play drew comparisons to one of the best Packers receivers of all time, Davante Adams, and the trajectory of Wicks’ career seemed bright.

The comparisons came mostly due to Wicks’ polished route-running ability and quickness off the line, and heading into 2024, many believed that he would become a dominant force in the Green Bay Packers’ offense.

What came next was anything but.

The Fall

Although he seemed primed for a breakout in 2024, Dontayvion Wicks struggled in his second act.

His quick dissent was almost entirely fueled by issues catching the football, and those issues had been on display at Virginia at times, which was one of the reasons he was still available to Green Bay in the fifth.

As a senior in college, Wicks dropped 23.1% of his targets after dropping only 8.1% in his record-setting junior season, and in year two in Green Bay, he led the NFL in drop rate at 18%.

While several other Green Bay Packers were also plagued with drop issues, none were more disappointing than Wicks, who was arguably the most talented of the group.

Despite the drops, he still flashed the traits of an elite option, ranking second among pass catchers across the league in his ability to generate separation, per PFF.

His success came against both man and zone coverage, and in terms of advanced analytics, Wicks’ name was associated with the likes of Mike Evans, Nico Collins, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Zay Flowers.

These underlying metrics seemed to suggest that Wicks would be able to turn it around in 2025, and as we approach week fourteen, that seems to be the case.

The Rebirth

Heading into this season, it seemed like do or die for Dontayvion Wicks.

Despite his talent, the receiver room was getting crowded thanks to the addition of first-rounder Matthew Golden, and for Wicks to re-establish himself, the drops simply couldn’t continue.

Luckily for both Wicks and the Packers, the third-year man has looked like a completely different player, much closer to what both fans and the front office had hoped he would become.

His hands have been mostly undeniable thus far despite injury, and the consistency has allowed him to step into the alter ego that his nickname, Don Wick, provides.

On Thanksgiving against the Lions, his progress was more than apparent.

Wicks caught six of his seven targets for ninety-four yards and two touchdowns, and his performance defined the victory.

That stat line doesn’t do Wicks justice, however.

Many of his catches came with an intense degree of difficulty, and even with the magnitude of the moment, he seemed unphased.

Wicks’ first touchdown required him to practically contort his body to stay in bounds, and he held onto the ball in the face of an impending hit.

At the end of the contest, his game-sealing fourth down conversion was a full-extension effort, and he did it without a shoe.

All in a day’s work for the Boogeyman.

Building On Success

Dontayvion Wicks’ resurgence has been one of the prouder parts of my Packers fandom lately, and with two games against the Bears in the next three weeks to likely decide the division, Green Bay will need his ascension to continue.

All three of his career two-touchdown games have come against NFC North foes, and there’s no better player to root for than one who has worked his tail off.

What Wicks has done so far this season has been more than encouraging, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.