Eagles' hidden gem lives up to the hype by officially making the team despite longshot odds
At 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, Johnny Wilson is the largest wide receiver in the league, but even with all of that size, he was a hidden gem and certainly entered training camp as a longshot to make the Philadelphia Eagles' initial 53-man roster. However, following a solid training camp and one strong preseason performance, Wilson […]
At 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, Johnny Wilson is the largest wide receiver in the league, but even with all of that size, he was a hidden gem and certainly entered training camp as a longshot to make the Philadelphia Eagles' initial 53-man roster.
However, following a solid training camp and one strong preseason performance, Wilson earned a roster spot before veterans John Ross and Parris Campbell.
His odds got even slimmer after he suffered a concussion during a joint practice with the New England Patriots and missed out on the Eagles' final two preseason games.
But in his lone game against the Baltimore Ravens, Wilson had three targets for seven yards and showed off his blocking skills.
It also helps that Wilson, the Eagles' 2024 sixth-round pick wide receiver out of Florida State, put in ton of extra work outside of practice this spring and his efforts did not go unnoticed by the coaching staff, or quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Unprompted, Hurts took a moment during training camp earlier this month to shout out Wilson for going the extra mile in order to better himself.
"We did 1-on-1's the other day, and there was Johnny Wilson, shows up and makes two big-time catches, and I tell him, 'It's no surprise when you prepare for those situations,'" Hurts said. "He put the time in during the offseason and we spent that quality time together. It shows."
Before entering the league, Wilson reeled in a total of 102 catches for 1,757 receiving yards and eight touchdowns at the college level between Florida State and Arizona State.
He'll now help out the Eagles in the slot alongside Britain Covey and Jahan Dotson.
