Thomas Wilder

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-6, 295 lbs. Taller than 42% and heavier than 51% of 2026 Offensive Tackle prospects in the SEC Scouts database (182 with a listed size).

Play Style

Wilder is a physical, finish-oriented blocker who is at his best in the run game. He wins with drive blocks, down blocks and double teams where his size and strength can move defenders off the ball. He plays through the whistle, as his pancake totals show. In pass protection he relies on his length and anchor rather than quick feet. He is most comfortable against power rushers he can absorb, and more exposed against wide-alignment speed rushers who stress his set.

Strengths

• Run-game power: he regularly overpowers defenders at the point of attack. His 127 career pancakes and 38 as a senior show he finishes blocks and drives people off the ball.
• Length and frame: with a 6-6 build and long arms he can catch rushers early and keep defenders off his body, which helps cover for his average feet in pass protection.
• Proven production and leadership: two-time All-State, four-time All-Region, two-year captain and Army All-American. He started for a Green Run program that won a 2024 region title and played in several regional championship games.
• Mature body: he carried 315 pounds as a freshman on campus, so he needs less physical development than most high school tackles.

Areas to Improve

• Kick-slide and recovery speed: slower-than-average feet make him vulnerable to speed rushers who beat him around the edge and to inside counter moves. He needs a quicker, more efficient first step and a set angle that doesn't give up the corner.
• Hand technique and pad level: high school opponents couldn't handle his raw power, and ACC-level edge rushers will test his hand placement, timing and ability to stay low. He'll need to win with leverage, not just strength.
• Conditioning and play-to-play balance: as he adds weight toward 320+, he'll need to stay balanced and move well in space on screens, pulls and second-level blocks.

College Projection

Virginia Tech has a veteran-heavy two-deep, so a redshirt in 2026 is the most likely path, with his four allowed game appearances used on special teams or in mop-up duty. That redshirt year is the time for strength work and footwork refinement. He should compete for the right tackle job as a redshirt freshman or sophomore in 2027-28. 247Sports' projection of a multi-year Power Four starter is realistic. If his feet don't develop enough to stay at tackle, his power and anchor would translate well to guard.

NFL Outlook

He has a legitimate path to the NFL Draft as a Day 3 prospect if he becomes a multi-year starter at right tackle. Teams value his length, size and run-game power, and his ceiling depends on how much his lateral quickness and pass-set speed improve. A realistic outcome is a mid-to-late-round right tackle or guard with swing versatility. That rises if he tests better athletically after two or three years of college strength and conditioning.

Best Fit

His best fit is a power or gap run scheme (duo, power, counter) at right tackle, where he can drive defenders off the ball and doesn't have to mirror elite edge rushers in space. Virginia Tech under Franklin, who has built physical offensive lines before, is a natural fit. He would struggle in wide-zone systems or spread offenses built on quick sets that require him to cover a lot of ground laterally.