Garrett Wilson heads into his second year in the NFL after an exceptional rookie season. Wilson was selected with the 10th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The 23-year-old flashed his big-time playmaking ability due to his slippery route-running and superb hands. He already proved that he belongs in the NFL, but he can establish himself as an elite receiver in his sophomore season.
The Jets had a carousel at quarterback in 2022 with Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco, Mike White, and Chris Streveler all throwing passes. Despite all the uncertainty under center, Wilson was a consistent game-wrecker on the outside. He reeled in 83 receptions for 1,103 yards with four touchdowns en route to winning the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Garrett Wilson Can Establish Himself Among Elite Wide Receivers
Wilson has the skill set to put up elite numbers with Rodgers at the helm. The Ohio State product has displayed similar tendencies to a former teammate of Rodgers, who made light of it during training camp. The four-time MVP said, “You know, I have so much love and respect for Davante, I feel like he’s the best receiver in the league, so I don’t say this lightly, but there are definitely traits that this 17 has that that special 17 has as well.”
That is high praise coming from one of the best signal callers in NFL history. Wilson said he was “honored” to be mentioned in the same sentence as Davante Adams but he still has a long way to go. During the 2020-21 seasons, Adams notched back-to-back All-Pro campaigns, securing 238 receptions, 2,927 receiving yards, and 29 touchdowns. He also saw a whopping 318 targets across the two years.
The 23-year-old Budding Star Gets Rave Reviews From Teammates
Rodgers has shown a knack for consistently targeting his No. 1 option in the offense. Wilson and the 39-year-old have been building chemistry all throughout the offseason. The 10-time Pro Bowler participated in every OTA practice and was quickly impressed by Wilson. “You need your best players to be your best people and he’s definitely one of them. At least one time in practice I’ve looked back at the coaches and just gone ‘Wow.'”, Rodgers said regarding the Ohio State product.
Fellow teammate Allen Lazard also sees an extremely high ceiling for his new teammate. The Iowa State product sees similarities between Wilson and his former teammate Adams. Lazard said, “Garrett is incredible. I see a lot of resemblance to Davante. To me, Davante is the best in the league, hands down. But there are a lot of things they do as far as mannerisms, personality, abilities that resemble each other.”
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The 2022 First-Round Pick Flashed All Summer
Wilson was constantly cooking opposing defenders all summer and that was the main theme coming out of Florham Park. During a training camp practice, Rodgers rolled right before firing a dart to the back of the end zone. Wilson jumped up and made a remarkable grab before tapping both toes in bounds.
This combination had the fans craving for the season to begin after they played in a preseason outing against the New York Giants. The duo seemed to be in a rhythm early, with Wilson grabbing three receptions for 30 yards with an impressive touchdown grab in just two offensive series. In the redzone, Rodgers threw a perfect pass where Wilson leaped up to make a contested grab over the defender.
AARON RODGERS TO GARRETT WILSON. TOUCHDOWN. 🎯
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/3hYq1UBWxH
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) August 26, 2023
Wilson has the grit and determination to be an outstanding difference-maker. He will have a quarterback under center that will be looking his way to make plenty of impactful plays. Wilson can become a top receiver in the AFC and it looks like he’s up to the test.
Main Photo: Chris Pedota – USA Today Sports
