16. Johnny Wilson, AZ State. 6'6", 235. Grade 85. Immediate starter with large role and learning on the go. Wilson is on the cusp of the Rotational Starter Tier: Executes at a starter level in a role playing to their strengths.
Comps: Brandon Marshall/Chase Claypool with some Kelvin Benjamin thrown in.
Wilson is an intriguing guy who will invite claims that he should be a move TE. I disagree & I'm evaluating him here as a WR only with the versatility to play all 3 WR positions.
Wilson has the size, physicality, and quickness to become a good secondary starter on an NFL team—good enough that one day, he could invite debate about whether he’s actually a WR1 from the NFL media and general public. He's not Calvin Johnson but could be devastating in short yardage possession and red zone for TDs.
Wilson is not only a quick accelerator who eats a lot of cushion fast, but he has violent hands to counter defenders at the line of scrimmage and at the top of stems. He sets up his hands with patient and sudden footwork. Wilson lacks a full library of release techniques, but he offers enough to earn separation against man-to-man coverage with his size and body control.
His 4.52-speed is only 1/100 th of a second slower than CeeDee Lamb’s time as a 6’1”, 198-pound primary option for the Cowboys. Wilson wears that speed well with 5 inches and
23 more pounds on his frame. More impressive is Wilson’s body control at the catch point. He can high-point, dig out low throws, and extend ahead or behind his path to earn the ball. He makes it a habit to attack the ball early and when forced to extend for the ball, Wilson’s hands remain tight at the catch point. When Wilson has an uncharacteristic target where he doesn’t use the appropriate attack, it’s because the ball arrived earlier than he expected. Overall, Wilson knows his assets as a receiver and has the confidence to attack targets in tight spaces
and win the ball during ensuing collisions with safeties and linebackers. 6'6" receivers with his strength are hard to cover. He also has the strength to transition quickly to a runner and
has the moves to pull through arm tackles easily and escape from wraps from a CB. At the very least he will drag defenders wrapped around him from behind or push defensive backs downfield when colliding head-on, if not knock them over or bounce off. Wilson has the upside to become a high-volume possession receiver capable of big plays due to his size, contested-catch potential, and skill in the open field. I'm surprised how good he looked based on technique.
He'd fit well in a spread scheme where he can gain early separation into space on quick-hitting routes or work double moves off those routes to earn early separation on vertical routes. Wilson uses his size the way a big receiver should at the catch point, in the open field, and at the line of scrimmage. He has surprisingly good breaks for a big man and if he can build on this in the NFL, he could become a high-volume receiver. He's more sure-handed than Brandon Marshall was and Marshall had a long successful career. He's faster than Kelvin Benjamin. Wilson tracks balls well over his shoulder and he's aware of the boundary to toe-tap when necessary. Overall, he's a very good route runner who is especially proficient catching a back shoulder fade. He has late hands, good hand positioning at the catch point, strong hands against contested balls and he high points balls easily. His catch radius is other worldly and he knows how to use it. If he has a weakness it's that his blocking could be better although he gives good effort.
I'd love Wilson as a late day 2 or early day 3 pick for the Pats. He's way more advanced as a WR than I initially gave him credit for being.
Injuries: Missed 3 games in '21 to a hammy. Missed 1 game in '22 with a leg bruise. Missed 2 games in '23 with an undisclosed injury after a collision with a tackler. It wasn't reported as a concussion.