Before we get started, this article is not saying that Garrett Wilson is Ja’Marr Chase as a prospect. While a few will read the title and not the actual article, getting that out of the way is important.
The Cleveland Browns are obviously interested in a number of wide receivers, fans of the Browns who are also fans of The Ohio State Buckeyes are clearly interested in Wilson and his teammate Chris Olave. Both players deserve to be mentioned among the top guys at their position regardless of the school they played at.
The need at receiver is clear for Cleveland. The team lacks a playmaker that can dominate at all levels of the field.
On a previous Browns Wire Podcast, I posited that there was “No Ja’Marr Chase” in this year’s NFL draft. While that still may be true, one of the reasons for that opinion was based on Chase’s connection to Joe Burrow from their days at LSU.
While Wilson did not play with Baker Mayfield, their connection is stronger than previously known:
Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson went to same high school (Lake Travis in Austin, Texas) as #Browns QB Baker Mayfield. Wilson said he worked out with Mayfield during pandemic shutdown and they have a good relationship. pic.twitter.com/J8HNZc20ol
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) March 2, 2022
Both being from Lake Travis is just an interesting nugget but the two of them working together during the pandemic could be huge. The comfort level between Chase and Burrow was a big part of their success in 2021. Burrow had a feel for his rookie quarterback that was unique.
Wilson, like Chase, could be the top receiver off the board but current expectations are that he is more likely to go with the 10th pick or lower while Chase was a top-five pick. While that may not seem like much, the 2021 draft was more top-heavy with talent than the 2022 is and a team trying to trade up from 10 to 5 would cost a pretty penny.
One other difference between Chase’s situation in Cincinnati and what a rookie could be walking into is the talent around him at the position. Chase joined Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd while Wilson, in this example, could be joining *Jarvis Landry, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz.
*Landry may not stick around in Cleveland
Whether the Browns draft Wilson, Treylon Burks (who is rumored here at the Combine as the team’s top WR), Drake London, or Olave, expecting a Chase-like rookie year is a setup for disappointment. Despite that, Wilson’s connection to Mayfield could be helpful.
