The trade with the Broncos for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy will bolster Cleveland’s roster, but they could still use more vertical speed. Michigan’s Roman Wilson, one of the most explosive wide receivers in the 2024 NFL draft, has plenty of it. The production wasn’t great, but the scheme in Michigan didn’t always give him the opportunities he deserved.
But when the Wolverines did air it out, Wilson was the guy JJ McCarthy looked for when they needed a big play. Though he has a limited route tree, Wilson is a good route runner with solid body control to throttle up and down with ease to use his speed as the great weapon it is.
Wilson has strong and reliable hands. This past season, he had only one drop on 67 targets and an impressive 16.4 yards per catch. He does most of his damage from the slot position but has shown he has the skill set to win on the outside as well.
A natural separator, he has to improve after the catch as he isn’t very elusive in the open field. Wilson will need to develop on the more technical side of the position and develop a deeper route tree, but he has elite speed, strong hands, and all the tools needed to be a great player at the next level.