Johnny Wilson

Johnny Wilson brings a unique blend of size and athleticism to the wide receiver position, standing out with his imposing 6'6" frame. While he faced challenges with a late breakout age and a dip in production in his final collegiate season, his standout performances at Florida State underscore his potential as a red zone threat and contested catch specialist. Wilson's ability to exceed expectations in terms of target rate highlights his impact on the field, despite any statistical fluctuations. The interest from NFL teams in potentially transitioning him to tight end adds another dimension to his potential role at the next level, offering fantasy managers additional flexibility in their roster considerations. Joining the Eagles in the sixth round presents an opportunity for Wilson to further develop and carve out a niche in Philadelphia's offense.

A receiver, Wilson's height shouldn't have the fluidity that he does. Quick feet and smooth hips allow him to be a weapon in the short and intermediate areas. He sinks his hips better than you'd expect from a player with his height. Wilson can get open on a comeback or drag route for days. He has the quicks to get open versus corners and the raw strength to punish them after the catch. The sum of his skill parts allows him to produce YAC either from his surprisingly quick footwork or his upper body strength and leg drive. This is not a knock on Wilson's ability as a perimeter wide receiver, BUT I want to see him converted to tight end in the NFL. He already has the requisite size with the ability to put on 10 lbs or so without losing his speed and quickness. If there's a smart NFL franchise out there, they will be handsomely rewarded. Wilson can more than hold his own as a "wide receiver," but as a tight end, he would have ridiculous upside. He has the skills to win versus linebackers and nickels all day. Another reason to believe that Wilson can make the jump to tight end is his blocking. As a run blocker, he is a DAWG. He has the total strength package to drive guys off the mark and anchor them. Over the last three seasons, among all wide receivers with at least 90 run-blocking snaps, he has ranked eighth, 21st, and first in PFF run-blocking grade. Wilson has a huge catch radius. He will adjust for low throws while also reaching high-point throws that few defenders can get to because of his size. He has plenty of catches in traffic on film to prove his strong hands. His 40.9% contested catch rate last year isn't truly indicative of his talent, as the ball placement on some of his tight-window throws was sketchy at best. We also have to talk about his 12.8% drop rate in college. Wilson has plenty of concentration drops on film, but I think this is something he can get cleaned up in the NFL. There are too many instances of him making special catches on his film (i.e., the one-handed grab versus Oklahoma in 2022). Dynasty Outlook: Unfortunately, the NFL spoke loudly about Wilson's skillset as he tumbled to the sixth round of the NFL Draft before the Eagles snatched him up. Wilson's clearest path to playing time could be if he transitions to tight end, but that doesn't even appear to be on the radar right now. With A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith both securing long-term deals recently, Philadelphia's passing attack will run through them for the foreseeable future. Wilson should compete in camp for the WR4 role on the team. His particular skillset remains intriguing, and I'll still take some late fourth-round rookie draft swings with him or pick him up off waivers after the rookie draft. He's definitely worth stashing on a taxi squad.