Tag: Roman Wilson

2023 Season Countdown: #7 Roman Wilson

Name: Roman Wilson
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 192 lbs.
High school: Honolulu (HI) St. Louis
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #1
Last year: I ranked Wilson #24 and said he would be a part-time starting wide receiver with 30 catches for 450 yards and 4 touchdowns (LINK). He started four games and caught 25 passes for 376 yards and 4 touchdowns, and he ran 2 times for 39 yards and 2 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 78

For the second consecutive year, Wilson made 25 catches in a season. Also for the second consecutive year, he struggled a little bit with nagging injuries that limited his availability and his effectiveness. But when he was available, he showed pretty consistently what his speed could do. With strong-armed quarterback J.J. McCarthy at the helm, Wilson found himself open deep time and time again. Unfortunately, McCarthy’s arm was a little erratic early in the year, so some of the wide-open deep shots ended in frustration. Still, Wilson took a screen 61 yards to the house against Colorado State, he went for 104 yards against TCU, and in between he was keeping defenses honest by occasionally popping open deep to scare people. He also grabbed two carries on the year, turning them into 21- and 18-yard touchdowns on end arounds.

Wilson’s speed is unmatched by the other receivers who have been getting on the field. (Word is that Eamonn Dennis is the fastest receiver, but he has only really played on special teams.) When a team can run the ball like Michigan can, an effective deep target can be a huge weapon. A lot depends on whether McCarthy can perform in 2023 like he did late in 2022. The play action game could be huge for getting Wilson to pop open deep, and on the flip side, if he makes some big plays early in the year, teams are going to have to start respecting that and possibly committing less to stopping the run. Even though I think Cornelius Johnson will lead the team in receptions, Wilson is the guy whose speed could make this offense take the next step in the passing game. Perhaps he and the coaches think so, too, which might be why Wilson will wear #1 this year instead of #14.

Prediction: Starting wide receiver; 38 receptions for 650 yards and 8 touchdowns

Michigan 31, Indiana 10

I hope Mike Hart is okay. It was reported that Mike Hart suffered a seizure on the sideline. I don’t know how much Hart’s medical situation affected the team on the field, but running back Donovan Edwards clearly seemed to be emotional and seemed to be on a knee next to Hart while the medical crew was attending to him. The TV crew also reported that a Michigan spokesperson said Hart had no history of similar events. Regardless, I hope this is a one-time thing and that Hart recovers quickly.

Hit the jump for more.

Michigan vs. Hawaii Awards

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Roman Wilson. It’s only on three total receptions, but this guy has 107 yards and 2 touchdowns. One touchdown was a 61-yard catch-and-run bubble screen against Colorado State, and the other was a 42-yard bomb against Hawaii. Good things happen when you run a 4.37 forty and have ball skills. He’s already playing quite a bit, but the speed and big play ability are really enticing.

Hit the jump for more.

2022 Season Countdown: #24 Roman Wilson

Name: Roman Wilson
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 185 lbs.
High school: Honolulu (HI) St. Louis
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #14
Last year: I ranked Wilson #31 and said he would be a backup wide receiver (LINK). He caught 25 passes for 420 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 3 carries for 59 yards, in five starts.
TTB Rating: 78

Wilson had a bit of a breakout season in 2021. He was one of four receivers to tie for the team lead with 3 touchdown catches, and he had some huge plays. He caught 2 touchdowns in a tight win over Penn State, he led the team in receiving against Ohio State, and he caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Donovan Edwards in the Big Ten Championship game. His reported 4.37 speed as a recruit started to show itself as a threat to other teams, and he established himself as a dangerous downfield threat.

I have heard some fans and analysts peg Wilson as their guess for Michigan’s leading receiver in 2022, but I can’t get there. Maybe he can do it in 2023, but Ronnie Bell returns from injury this year and Cornelius Johnson is the 6’3″ prototype who led the squad in 2021. Wilson is a key component of the passing attack, as he can take the top off the defense. But there’s only one ball and there are only so many receiving positions, so some tough decisions are going to need to be made by the coaches and the quarterback(s) on where the ball ends up going. I would expect Wilson to be Michigan’s #3 wideout, but he’ll have some big plays along the way.

Prediction: Part-time starting wide receiver; 30 catches for 450 yards and 4 touchdowns

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