University of Michigan receiver Roman Wilson heads to the NFL after a four-year run that ramped up to culminate in a 12-touchdown senior season.
A natural athlete with long speed for days, Wilson wasn’t heavily targeted due to the Wolverines’ ground-based approach, but he managed to make the most of his opportunities throughout the course of his FBS run.
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 185 pounds
40 time: 4.39 seconds
Table: WR Roman Wilson, Michigan (2020-23)
*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)
Pros
- Has shown improvement in the hands department as his collegiate career went along and doesn’t often lose focus in contested situations — regularly plucks the ball away from his frame
- Excellent vertical speed to challenge down the field and rack up yardage after the catch, especially when thrown open
- Versatility as a possible rusher on jet sweeps and end-arounds that allow him to have already built up his speed
- Demonstrates ability to freelance when his QB buys time
- Feels the soft spots in zone coverage and has improved over time in this regard
- Dangerous crosser over the middle, unafraid in traffic — at his best when he can run to a spot and catch in stride
- Spacial awareness in tight quarters and along boundary lines
- Has a knack for clutch plays in big moments
- Offers return potential on special teams despite having limited experience
- Production drastically increased as a senior, especially in the TD column
Cons
- Not all twitched up in short-area situations
- Inconsistently demonstrates how to use leverage against a defender in man — didn’t see a lot of man-on-man coverage, in fairness
- Could struggle off the line vs. jams and longer corners
- Size and style of play could relegate him to the slot even though he has lined up all over
- Doesn’t have extensive experience throughout the route tree
- Not a bad route runner but rounds off sharp corners enough to notice — more angular in nature and may be pigeonholed into specific routes that maximize his natural movement traits to gain separation
- Extremely limited offerings as a blocker
Fantasy football outlook
Given his pedigree, improvement, physical traits, and upside for growth, Wilson should be a Day 2 pick, likely in the third round.
Reuniting with Jim Harbaugh’s receiver-starved Los Angeles Chargers is kind of appealing as the Greg Roman-run offense will resemble the same type of system from Michigan. It would position Wilson for early contributions, albeit in a low-volume situation.
Regardless of where he lands, Wilson has limitations that should prevent a full-time role. There figures to be a ramp-up period of a year or two before fantasy owners consider Wilson to be a draftable option — and only a matchup-based play at that.
