Cowboys Wilson appears to have captured mythical Year 3 magic for WRs

The majority of conversations revolving around the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver corps has focused on Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and of course rookie CeeDee Lamb. There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the possibility of three 1,000 yard receivers now at quarterback Dak Prescott’s disposal. While having three top tier receivers is good, having four is a luxury.

Wide receiver Cedric Wilson has been grinding away trying to earn his seat at the table since being drafted in the sixth round with the No. 208 overall pick of 2018.

Before joining the Cowboys, Wilson was a stand out receiver for Boise State after transferring from Coffeyville Community College. In his junior and senior year he was able to log 139 catches and rack up over 2,600 yards while scoring 18 times. In his final game, playing on an injured ankle, Wilson logged 10 catches for over 200 yards and earned the MVP of the Las Vegas Bowl.

Drafted along with first-round linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, Wilson continued the love affair of the Cowboys’ front office with Broncos stars. Demarcus Lawrence and Tyrone Crawford represent the blue-field boys along the defensive line.

Wilson was an intriguing draft pick because of his height and ability to play in the slot. It seemed that was a preferred spot for him as he functioned better in Boise with getting a free release off the line.

Unfortunately, Wilson’s rookie campaign was cut short due to a torn labrum during training camp. He didn’t get much of an opportunity to show those talents or prove he was bringing more to the table.

After sitting out 2018 on injured reserve it was all about the journey back to make the 2019 team. Competition was plentiful when Wilson became healthy and was beat out by Devin Smith. He was released at the end of the 2019 pre-season. However, seeing the potential he possessed, the Cowboys signed Wilson to their 2019 practice squad.

It took all of two games for Wilson to be signed to the active roster after Tavon Austin was sidelined with a concussion.

Wilson appeared in six games and had all of his 2019 production come in a road loss against the Jets where he caught five passes for 46 yards. He was once again placed on injured reserved with a knee injury in December.

So what does 2020 have in store for Wilson?

The Cowboys drafted Lamb after losing Randall Cobb to free agency. Entering camp, it was widely assumed veteran Devin Smith was the leading candidate to take on the fourth receiver role. Wilson found himself in the midst of a shuffle. Noah Brown, Jon’Vea Johnson and Ventell Bryant poseddd as Wilson’s biggest competition, with a handful of undrafted free agents and tryout guys.

Wilson emerged though, continuously proving his worth in the truncated offseason. Even with limited media reporting, every day came with another dynamic play credited to Wilson and soon it became clear that he was earning not just a place on the roster, but a place in the team’s rotation of playable receivers.

That idea was cemented when the club released Smith earlier in the week. It appears Wilson is in line to be the team’s fourth receiver. He has battled injuries and has been no stranger to the IR, however the ability to play both outside and the slot gave him a leg up in the wide receiver competition under Mike McCarthy’s new system in which he loves versatility.

This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown.

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