Jim Harbaugh’s top WR at Michigan turning heads at Senior Bowl

Roman Wilson broke out with 12 touchdowns in 2023 for the run-first Wolverines offense.

With Jim Harbaugh coming from the college game, there’s going to be a lot of speculation about what former Michigan players could be targets of the Chargers in this year’s draft. The Chargers have a number of needs to fill, and that doesn’t include the idea that Harbaugh could drastically reshape the roster in his image.

Regardless of what happens over the next five months, the Chargers will need to find some help to flesh out the wide receiver room. By the end of the 2023 season, backup quarterback Easton Stick was throwing passes to guys like Alex Erickson (who impressed in those snaps), rookie Derius Davis, and Keelan Doss. With Mike Williams coming off a torn ACL, and carrying a hefty cap hit in 2024, it’s likely he may not be retained.

So what are some options for the Chargers this offseason? Well, one of them could be Harbaugh’s top receiver from his national title run who also happened to crush it on day one of this year’s Senior Bowl.

According to both NFL.com draft analysts Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm, Wilson was one of the top two receivers from the opening practice of the all-star showcase, joining Georgia’s Ladd McConkey as the two biggest standouts at their position. In a big note of praise, the duo said that Wilson has a chance to be this year’s Tank Dell, or essentially a mid-round wideout who could become a quarterback’s best friend the same way Dell swiftly bonded with Texans rookie pass C.J. Stroud. Specifically, they gushed about Wilson’s ability to create throwing lanes and mismatches while also exhibiting strong hands at the catch point.

Per NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, he received multiple text messages from his contacts in the NFL on Tuesday in regards to Wilson’s performance and how it only made them feel more secure with their initial reports on the former Wolverine.

One of the things that should be noted is that Wilson never crossed over the 800-yard threshold on college. He spent four years in the run-first offense and didn’t even break 500 yards until the 2023 season where he finished with 789 but amassed 12 touchdowns to lead the team’s pass-catchers. In all, he ended his career with 107 receptions for 1,707 yards and 22 total touchdowns. As a junior in 2022, he carried the ball twice, both of which went for scores.

At the next level, should it be with the Chargers or another club, I think his final collegiate stat line is roughly where his production should be expected to sit. He’s not likely a team’s WR1, but he should be able to come in an help round out a team’s position group. If that’s in Los Angeles with the Bolts, he’d provide a short-area start who still knows how to get open at all levels of the field, especially when working off play action.

If you haven’t been able to catch any of the action from day one, here’s a video below of all one-on-ones done by Wilson.