Garrett Wilson was a standout at Lake Travis High School in Texas, where his high school career produced 204 catches for 3,359 yards and 55 touchdowns. He signed with Ohio State and has been a contributor there since he was a freshman. Wilson projects to be one of the first wideouts taken in the 2022 NFL draft and is one of the fastest receivers in this year’s class.
Wilson played on the outside for his first season but then moved to the slot entering 2020. He’s likely to be selected to remain in the slot where he was a devastating weapon for the Buckeyes. He opened the 2020 season with four consecutive games with over 100 yards and finished his fine junior year with three straight 100-yard efforts.
He played with Justin Fields for his first two years but then hit a higher level with quarterback C.J. Stroud and topped 1,000 yards. Wilson was a part of a deadly trio of wideouts at Ohio State last year. Teammates Jaxon Smith-Njigba (95-1606-9) and Chris Olave (65-936-13) were also top receivers in the Big Ten.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 183 pounds
40 time: 4.38 seconds
Wilson was a playmaker and game-breaker in college, with speed to take it to the house on any play. He’ll be one of the first rookies drafted in fantasy leagues this year.
Table: Garrett Wilson NCAA stats (2019-21)
| Year | School | Games | Catch | Yards | Avg. | TD | Runs | Yards. | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Ohio State | 13 | 30 | 432 | 14.4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | Ohio State | 8 | 43 | 723 | 16.8 | 6 | 2 | 67 | 0 |
| 2021 | Ohio State | 11 | 70 | 1058 | 15.1 | 12 | 4 | 76 | 1 |
Pros
- Blazing speed with effortless second gear
- Crisp route runner with precise moves
- Outstanding deep threat
- Can high-point the ball and has fly-paper hands to make catch
- Great football intelligence with a knack for being open
- Strong downfield blocker
- Master of “yards after catch” as a threat to all levels of defense
- Burst from line with clean cuts and snaps at change of direction
- Can double as a returner
Cons
- Smaller size may limit him to slot work
- Not as physical at the point of catch
- Catch radius is smaller, so targets need to be accurate
- Occasional concentration drops
Fantasy outlook
Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson will be the Jaylen Waddle/DeVonta Smith from this draft – both expected to be first-round picks, and yet in this case, neither was the top receiver for Ohio State last year. Wilson is one of the lowest risk rookie wideouts this year; he’s succeeded on hard work, exact route running, and being at his most dangerous in the middle of the secondary under the safety where his burst and speed have been deadly.
Wilson helped his case with that 4.38 40-time at the NFL Combine, but he’s much more than just a deep-ball receiver. There are some draft boards with Wilson at the top, so he should be taken by the middle of the first round.
Wilson projects to be a fantasy factor even as a rookie. He’s not big and physical, and likely won’t play outside against press coverage. But he’s a student of the game that will put in the work necessary to be successful at the pro level and has the physical tools to shine.
He’ll be best served in the slot, playing for an accurate quarterback with some element of RPO since he’s often described as “a quarterback’s best friend” who is always open, knows what to do when plays break down and can be used in many versatile ways including the occasional jet sweep.
