The Philadelphia Eagles added dimension to their receiving corps by choosing Johnny Wilson within the 2024 NFL Draft. In an effort to be taught much more about Philly’s new go catcher, I reached out to SB Nation’s Florida State weblog: Tomahawk Nation. Seminoles author Jordan Silversmith was variety sufficient to reply my questions.
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1) Are you able to recap his school profession?
Johnny Wilson didn’t begin at Florida State and took a singular path to turning into an NFL Draft Choose. He started his profession at Arizona State, the place the teaching employees couldn’t use him correctly. He completed his time in Tempe with simply 16 receptions, and after two years, he hit the portal and went east to hitch the now-heralded class with Trey Benson and Jared Verse.
When he got here to Tallahassee, he immediately grew to become a prime goal for the offense. His large body endeared him to Mike Norvell’s offense as he may run block and make big performs down the sector. The 6’7’’ behemoth completed the 2022 season, averaging over 20 yards per reception in eight of the 13 video games he performed in.
His greatest efficiency got here in simply the third recreation of the season; Wilson racked up 149 yards and two touchdowns as he carried the workforce to victory after Jordan Travis got here out injured within the first half.
A yr later, Wilson got here into spring camp because the clear #1 WR, however his function shrank when Keon Coleman joined the workforce from the switch portal in the summertime. With so many mouths to feed, Wilson’s manufacturing pulled again, as he solely completed with six or extra catches twice, half as many instances as in 2022. His manufacturing additionally took a success as he missed two video games attributable to damage, after which the offense nose-dived when Jordan Travis’s season resulted in week 11.
Even nonetheless, his huge play means made him a relentless menace on the surface, as he went over 80 yards in 4 of the ten video games he performed. When Travis did go down, he grew to become the protection blanket for Tate Rodemaker and Brock Glenn, as they’d look to him on third down and large moments. Followers will bear in mind him as one of many nice portal tales for Mike Norvell and helped revamp an offense that direly wanted a facelift after Mike Norvell’s second season.
2) What are his strengths?
Starting with the apparent, guarding a 6’7’’ receiver who runs a 4.57 felt inconceivable at instances for opposing defenses. FSU would continuously throw again shoulder fades to him once they wanted a piece performs down the sector, and he used his body to field out corners and play above the rim. As talked about, FSU took loads of pictures down the sector attributable to Wilson’s means to make contested catches and win on deep routes.
He utilized his dimension as a run blocker and have become an underrated piece to the Seminole floor recreation. PFF graded him as a 75.8 and 73.9 run blocker in 2022 and 2023, respectively. In each recreation final season, he performed double-digit run snaps, which speaks to his character and willingness to place the workforce first.
Whereas I can not quantify this, he developed nice chemistry with all of the quarterbacks on the roster, and in huge moments, the ball would typically go his method. He carried out his greatest when Tate Rodemaker began towards Florida final yr and helped FSU dig out of a 12-0 gap to return again and win within the swamp. He completed with six catches and 64 yards; half got here on third down. It helped that he performed within the system for an additional yr over Coleman, however he would typically be the primary learn on third down.
3) What are his weaknesses?
Whereas Wilson could make the inconceivable look simple and make it seem to be his catch radius spans a mile lengthy, he additionally makes the simple look tough. Early within the season, he had a brutal case of the drops that nearly returned to chunk FSU a number of instances. Wilson would continuously be on the jugs machine attempting to get it proper however by no means fairly acquired it underneath management. Moreover the drops, he might be stiff on the prime of his route and sometimes must win along with his dimension. Groups have been involved that he was a tweener, making some franchises really feel he could be a good finish on the subsequent degree.
4) Are you shocked the place he was drafted? Larger or decrease than anticipated? Good?
Possibly I drank an excessive amount of FSU Kool-Assist, however Wilson falling to the sixth spherical shocked me. He might be such a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, and his manufacturing in school speaks for itself. He gave the impression of his camp thought he could be taken across the fourth spherical however close to the 100-pick mark. As I stated, groups should have been nervous about his place on the subsequent degree and his means to win on the surface continuously.
5) How do you see his NFL profession enjoying out?
Predicting the place sixth-round picks end out their profession is a crap shoot. It feels much more sophisticated for Wilson as he enters a workforce with two Professional Bowl WRs. Nonetheless, his distinctive body offers him a a lot larger likelihood to stay on the NFL degree. Anyone that stands 6’7’’ typically finds themselves with a number of alternatives, and he matches the invoice. Furthermore, the strenuous low season conditioning Florida State battles by way of ought to put together Wilson for the damage and tear on the NFL degree. He’ll know compete and take powerful teaching as Mike Norvell prides his program on these particulars. Who is aware of whether or not or not he ever turns into a 1,000-yard receiver? However, he can carve out a job for himself as a red-zone, run-blocking menace.
6) Something to learn about him off the sector?
Name it a private vendetta, however he could be unusual with the media. He didn’t converse to the press earlier than his Professional Day, which each and every different participant moreover Keon Coleman did. He solely spoke after follow as soon as this previous season, which felt odd given his function and stature on the workforce. Wilson is a extra reserved character who matches in properly with the sorts of folks round him on the offense. He ought to carry a relaxed demeanor to dwelling in an enormous metropolis, one thing that might eat up different rookies.
