Garrett Wilson, the talented wide receiver who rose from Ohio State's crowded depth chart to become the second wideout and first Buckeye taken in the 2022 NFL Draft's first round, has signed his rookie contract with the Jets.
Wilson was eager to get going at the Jets' rookie minicamp at the Atlantic Health Training Center from May 5-7, then joined the veterans during the early Organized Team Activity workouts on Monday, where he finally "gained contact" with his new quarterback, Zach Wilson.
"I remember watching Zach's pro day last year," Wilson said. "He displayed his arm. It was just special to watch. Being a receiver that likes to stretch the field and make plays, I feel like he can put t anywhere on the field. That's what you want n your quarterback."
And Wilson appears to have just what the Jets and their fans want as he joins veteran WR Corey Davis, second-year wideout Elijah Moore and the rest of the WR room as the offseason heads toward summer and training camp.
"I'm excited to bring what I do to the table," he said, "and learn from guys like Elijah and Corey. I'm really excited."
Wilson said he has patterned his play after a trio of NFL wideouts, none of whom was a first-round pick like him but all of whom quickly turned into highly productive pros.
"I've always kind of modeled my game after Stevie Johnson. He played with the Bills back in the day and he kind of had a basketball background. He was elusive and I like the way he played the game," Wilson said. "There's so many good receivers in the league, you try to take something from all their games. Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, they've all got different things that they bring to the table. Being a young dude that wants to be as good as I can be, I'm trying to take something from all their games, for sure."
Wilson (6-0, 188), a three-sport star at Lake Travis (TX) HS, turned down a basketball scholarship offer to move back to his home state of Ohio and play for the Buckeyes. Last season, his third, he racked up 70 receptions for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's got 4.38-second speed in the 40, displays strong hands and runs precise routes.
He described his strengths as an ability to nab 50-50 balls and "doing a good job making people miss me."
"You just have to have a plan," he said. "You're playing against good players and you have to go out there with a plan. You just can't expect to run around someone. You have to get on their shoulders and make then uncomfortable. There's a lot of nuances to running routes and I'm excited to keep learning."
