PRO 2022 Rookie Spotlight: Garrett Wilson, WR Ohio State

2022 Rookie Spotlight: Garrett Wilson, WR Ohio State
Height: 6-0
Weight: 183
Hands: 9 7/8″
Arm: 32″
40 yard dash: 4.38
NFL Comparison: Odell Beckham Jr.

College Production (Final Season)
20% team receptions
21% team receiving yards
26% team receiving TDs

Breakout Age: 20

Pros
– elite quickness and body control
– epitome of a natural hands-catcher
– terrific stop/start nature to his routes; great at manipulating play speed
– a beast after catch
– excellent long speed
– really good production despite presence of two elite WR teammates
– seems to be the most highly-thought-of WR in the class by many of the big-name NFL media types like Daniel Jeremiah

Cons
– slighter frame than you might like
– horrible short-shuttle time in Indy despite showing excellent agility on tape
– may project best as a slot WR in the NFL
– does not win contested catches with physicality
– dropped 6 passes in 2021 per PFF- so shifty that sometimes he can appear unwieldy
– despite leaving school early, he’s still the same age as Chris Olave

Scouting Notes: Garrett Wilson has been followed closely by dedicated dynasty leaguers since his high school recruitment out of football factory Lake Travis, just west of Austin, TX. He’s among the more shifty prospects to come out for the NFL draft in many years. With many checkmarks in the “elite” category, it truly feels like there’s not much to dislike with Wilson when watching him play football: His stops and starts are dizzying, his hands-catches are often of the circus-variety, he plays bigger than he actually is and on top of all that, tackling him in the open field is a nightmare. Just amazing tools. Critics will say that for as dependable and soft as his hands seem, that he did suffer from some drops in 2021 and that he may lack the physicality to play on the perimeter at the NFL level. One thing that you notice if you watch Wilson enough (and can also notice during the gauntlet drill at the NFL combine) is that his crazy shiftiness can sometimes lead to Wilson looking like he’s a little bit out of control in his locomotion. Another head-scratching moment came in Wilson’s combine testing where he ran a 20th percentile short-shuttle; a drill that his tape would have you believe he’d dominate. All of this said, he’s a first-round type of talent without question.

Fantasy Outlook: Is strong. Wilson will not be a secret to your dynasty leaguemates in rookie drafts and likely won’t be any kind of secret in redraft, either — depending on his NFL landing spot. Wilson has all the tools in the world and will be coveted by NFL teams. He’ll come with good draft capital, likely first-round, and his NFL team will surely want to utilize him early and often in his NFL career. You’re going to have to take him within the first few picks of your rookie draft, and should feel good about doing so.

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