2021 Season Countdown: #31 Roman Wilson
Name: Roman Wilson
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Honolulu (HI) St. Louis
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #14
Last year: I ranked Wilson #56 and said he would be a backup wide receiver (LINK). He caugh 9 passes for 122 yards and 1 touchdown.
TTB Rating: 78
Wilson’s role in 2020 seemed up in the air going into the year, but he established himself as a reliable target with 9 catches in just six games. The freshman speedster made a nice diving catch against Indiana for a touchdown, which was the highlight of his year, but the coaching staff also gave him a handoff on an end around. Only four other true freshmen have averaged 1.5 catches or more per game since 2009 (Roy Roundtree, Jake Butt, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Tarik Black), and Wilson reached 1.5 in 2020.
That bodes well for Wilson, even though he does not appear to be in line to start in 2021. The expectation is that he will be a rotation guy unless injuries happen. It’s good to have a guy like Wilson coming off the bench, a guy who can stretch the field with his speed and who has reliable hands. This probably won’t be a breakout year for him, but I expect to see continued growth, especially if the quarterback play can be more consistent.
Prediction: Backup wide receiver
