Cleveland, Ohio — The Browns, like the rest of the NFL, will undoubtedly have their sights set on Mobile, Alabama, for the 2024 Senior Bowl week. The game was played on Saturday, but the week of practices leading up to the Saturday exhibition is far more valuable.
Evaluators and draft scouts fall in love with players every week. Among the names that stood out at perhaps the Browns’ most pressing need – wide receiver – one in particular attracted the attention: Roman Wilson.
Browns fans, particularly those who follow Ohio State, are quite familiar with the Michigan wide receiver after he and his squad turned a recent Wolverines drought in The Game into a three-game winning run.
In Mobile, Wilson had the play of the week with this incredible one-handed catch away from his body, which would have counted in an NFL game.
Wilson received glowing reviews throughout the week, with numerous analysts, including Connor Rogers of NBC Sports, Dane Brugler of The Athletic, and Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm of NFL.com, declaring him a winner at various stages.
When the week began, Wilson was hardly a name that Browns fans might have considered for choice No. 54 in the 2024 NFL Draft. Wilson’s work in Mobile may have influenced this transformation.
He stood out in a deep receiving class that included South Carolina’s Xavier Legette, Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, and North Carolina’s Devontez Walker, among others.
Tank Dell, Puka Nacua, Jayden Reed, and Rashee Rice are prime examples of the value of Senior Bowl victory. All four were in Mobile in 2023, and each had excellent rookie seasons.
Wilson entered the week relatively under the radar due to the offense he played in. Michigan was mostly a rushing football team in 2023.
The Wolverines threw the ball 24.1 times a game, which was the 12th-lowest average among all 133 FBS teams. Wilson took full advantage of his few opportunities, catching 48 catches for 789 yards (16.4 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns.
He also performed effectively in three playoff games during the previous two seasons. He recorded five catches for 104 yards and a touchdown against TCU in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, and seven catches for 127 yards and a touchdown in 2023 playoff wins over Alabama and Washington, which helped the Wolverines capture the national championship.
To put the 2023 postseason figures in context, he accounted for more than 25% of Michigan’s receptions and more than 35% of Michigan’s receiving yards in both games.
Wilson has elite speed and athletic ability. But, unlike some of his peers who played in more pass-heavy offenses, he didn’t always get the opportunity to demonstrate it.
He was also pretty adept at securing the ball, with only seven drops in four seasons. He also had only one drop in all of 2023.
Wilson is hardly the largest receiver. But at 6-0, 192 pounds, that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
The Browns have leaned toward larger receivers over the last two years, including 6-3 Cedric Tillman in 2023. They need to include a speed element.
That’s when Wilson steps in.
With Deshaun Watson’s desire to throw the ball deep, Wilson’s speed should make him an excellent fit for the Browns.
Wilson’s climb may only be beginning.
With the NFL combine coming up in a few weeks, Wilson’s stock could soar much higher. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic highlighted in his annual college football freaks list, which ranks the most athletic athletes in the NCAA, that Wilson had not only run the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds, but also a 3-cone drill time of 6.20 seconds. If Wilson can come close to those figures in Indianapolis, his stock will only rise.
In a receiving class as deep as this one, Wilson needed to shine at the Senior Bowl to get his foot in the door. Based on Mobile’s analysis, he appears to have.
Wilson has the potential to be a game changer, but his talent is overshadowed by a Wolverines offense that relies on its powerful offensive line and running assault.
His stint at the Senior Bowl revealed that he has more to offer than previously imagined, and Browns supporters looking for receivers should pay close attention to Wilson now that his stock appears to be rising.
