Chargers Scouting Report: Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson

With the 2022 NFL Draft only a few months away, we are full steam ahead on our annual evaluations for this year’s prospects.

With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, we are taking a look at Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

Garrett Wilson, Ohio State, #5, Junior, Austin, TX, 6’0” | 188

40-yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A

Career: Earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2020, second team in 2021. Played in 32 games for the Buckeyes, recording 143 catches, 2,213 receiving yards, and 23 touchdowns. 

Red Flags: None

Strengths: Slippery, cunning route runner that slashes through his breaks with ease. Sells routes with his entire body, implementing head fakes and sudden lower-body deception to manipulate defensive backs. Hips plummet on command to change direction quickly, enabling Wilson to break his route down and stop on a dime. An alert player that works back to the quarterback and taps into his creativity to help extend plays. Turns into a magician when turning upfield for yards after the catch. Shimmies his way around defenders and breaks tackles with a large arsenal of juke moves, great contact balance, and natural elusiveness. Has unreal bunnies to out-leap the coverage for contested catches. Tracks the ball well, ensnaring almost every ball that enters his vast catch radius with reliable hands.

Weaknesses: Moved to slot his sophomore year, unlocking his potential but placing a cap on his vertical potential. Tactics to overcome press coverage are spotty and inconsistent. An ineffective run blocker that showed little to no eagerness to participate. Doesn’t have a reputation as a speed demon, with most of his big plays resulting from developments in the open field rather than separating in a straight-line footrace.

Final Word: An inventive route runner that puppeteers defenders out of position with his rampant style, Wilson is a dynamic prospect at the receiver position that leverages his athleticism with equal success when the ball is in his hands. With above-average height and size, Wilson is a dynamic prospect that would succeed best in a slot role at the next level for a team keen to accentuate his yards after catch expertise.

Fit Likelihood: High

Grade: 1st

Film Highlights

Wilson displaying extreme sharpness through his breaks against Penn State.

This lunge cut by Garrett Wilson reminds me of how a snake strikes pic.twitter.com/EIyLuOGnhe

— Cole Topham (@HamAnalysis) January 27, 2022

Wilson’s showcasing his quick change of direction skills and effortless ability to sink his hips and change directions.

WR1 in my opinion. pic.twitter.com/mshjmTz6Vs

— Will Parkinson (@Willpa11) January 21, 2022

Wilson dusting a Maryland cornerback with a staggering and sudden release.

garrett wilson my god pic.twitter.com/0vicxNAsKd

— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) December 9, 2021