Michael Wilson - WR - Stanford
Welcome to the rookie profile for Michael Wilson.
Michael Wilson is an underrated prospect who has solid size and speed and who could see his stock rise significantly with a solid combine.
His college career has been marred by a series of lingering injuries that have limited him to 14 games over the final 3 seasons of his college career. Wilson is going to have to answer a barrage of questions regarding his injury history but if he can provide teams with reassurance that he has a clean bill of health he could easily be taken with a top-50 pick.
Between injuries and COVID, Wilson spent 5 inconsistent years at Stanford. His talent in these 5 years was certainly evident when he was able to stay on the field but the recurring theme with him will be if he can stay healthy for long enough to ever reach his full potential.
His 6’2” and 216 lbs frame gives him the size to produce at the NFL level as a complimentary receiver in a role similar to that of Bengals WR3 Tyler Boyd. Wilson may never develop into one of the NFL’s elite wide receivers but with the right draft capital and opportunity, he could be a consistent player for many years to come…. If he is able to stay healthy.
Measurables
Height: 6′ 2″
Weight: 209 lbs
Age:
40-yard dash: 4.58s
3-cone drill: DNP
20-yard shuttle: 4.27
Vertical Jump: 37.5″
Broad Jump: 10-5
Bench Press: DNP
*age is at the start of player’s rookie year
College Stats
| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2018 | Stanford | Pac-12 | FR | WR | 10 | 14 | 126 | 9.0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | 0 | 16 | 134 | 8.4 | 1 |
| 2019 | Stanford | Pac-12 | SO | WR | 12 | 56 | 672 | 12.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 672 | 12.0 | 5 | |
| 2020 | Stanford | Pac-12 | JR | WR | 4 | 19 | 261 | 13.7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 261 | 13.7 | 1 | |
| 2021 | Stanford | Pac-12 | SR | WR | 4 | 19 | 185 | 9.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 185 | 9.7 | 0 | |
| 2022 | Stanford | Pac-12 | SR | WR | 6 | 26 | 418 | 16.1 | 4 | 4 | 47 | 11.8 | 0 | 30 | 465 | 15.5 | 4 |
| Career | Stanford | 134 | 1662 | 12.4 | 11 | 6 | 55 | 9.2 | 0 | 140 | 1717 | 12.3 | 11 | ||||
Notable Headlines
Wilson was a 4-star recruit from Chaminade High School before joining Stanford in 2018.
As a freshman for the Cardinals in 2018 Wilson played in 10 games and only recorded 14 catches for 126 yards and 1 touchdown in a minimal role.
Wilson’s best college season came in 2019 as a sophomore where he caught 56 passes for 672 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Following his breakout season the injury bug began to strike Wilson on a regular basis. In 2021 he could only play in 4 games due to a foot injury. In those 4 games, he totaled 19 catches for 261 yards and 1 touchdown.
Wilson followed that up with a covid/injury plagued season in which he once again played in only 4 games. Again, he caught only 19 passes for 185 yards and no touchdowns.
Wilson returned to Stanford for his senior year in 2022 as a fifth-year senior and once again was hampered by a lingering foot injury. He was limited to 6 games in 2022 and caught 26 passes for 418 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Scouting Report
Positives
Michael Wilson has the size and speed to be a prototypical wide receiver who can be dangerous at all levels on the field. He has a knack for creating yards after the catch and is always a threat to score anytime he has the ball in his hands.
Wilson profiles as an X receiver who is best lined up on the outside when he can take full advantage of his size and speed. It would also give him the best opportunity to use his great contested catch ability.
He is an excellent route runner with great hands who is dangerous all over the field, once he gets the ball in his hands he is a nightmare for defenders to bring down.
When he is healthy, Wilson is one of the most well-rounded receivers in this draft class. If he stays healthy long enough to develop he could be a solid fantasy option.
Negatives
Wilson’s fatal flaw is obvious, he is going to come into the NFL with the “injury prone” tag and once a player gets that tag it can be hard to shake it. He managed to play in only 4 games through his final 3 seasons as I stated before and that is going to be a red flag that many teams will avoid at all costs.
He has solid speed and route running skills but is not elite at either, leading to him struggle to get separation against the high-end competition. Wilson has a tendency to rely on his body to make catches rather than his hands and will need to work on his technique at the catch point if he is going to be successful in the NFL.
He is a raw prospect due to his missed time and is going to require a longer period of time than most receivers do.
Pre Draft Analysis
Expected Draft Capital- Round 3
Ideal Landing Spot- Baltimore Ravens
Wilson is going to be a long-term project and the receiver needy Ravens are certainly a team that could take a shot on him during round 3. The Ravens lack a true Alpha receiver so if Wilson is able to stay healthy and develop at a decent pace he could help the Ravens spread the ball out beyond Mark Andrews.
If Rashod Bateman is also able to develop further and remain healthy the two could make for a formidable wide receiver duo. Wilson would give the Ravens the versatility they have lacked since trading Marquise Brown.
Wilson will likely not be a major contributor as a rookie but if he is able to learn from coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens are able to sign Lamar Jackson to a long-term contract then Wilson could be in for a bright future.
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Image Credit: Darren Yamashita – USA TODAY Sports
