Eagles rookie Johnny Wilson rising to the challenge with increased training camp opportunities

Johnny Wilson wants to be Jalen Hurts’ best friend.

The Eagles rookie, making a rapid ascent into the starting offensive huddle this past week, began laying the groundwork by attending a summer throwing session that Hurts held with a handful of Eagles wide receivers a couple of months ago.

Now that Wilson is earning more time with the starters midway through his first NFL training camp, his efforts to build enough trust with Hurts to count for something down the road are continuing on the right path.

“I put in some work in the offseason with Jalen and some of the other guys,” Wilson said. “Just building up those reps and that connection with everybody, just the whole depth chart of receivers. It’s been great getting some of those first-team reps, just trying to build on it.”

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With veteran wide receiver Parris Campbell sidelined with a groin injury, Wilson has seen his number of first-team reps increase the last few practices and has done well with the opportunity. The Eagles selected the former Florida State standout because, at 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, he has a size profile more befitting of a tight end but the route-running ability of a receiver.

“Obviously his size, but the way he was able to bend,” Eagles wide receiver coach Aaron Moorehead said Sunday. “Most big guys can’t bend. They’re stiff, which is why it’s harder to play wideout in the league. He can bend, he’s not a stiff guy, he’s got great catch radius, he’s tough. All those things put together was the intriguing part about Johnny.”

Said Wilson: “It’s definitely something I had to work on. It started in high school, when I got into high school, I was lanky, long, and stiff. I just wanted to be the odd man, I wanted to be different, I wanted to do things that other people couldn’t do. It took a lot of work, and, you know, I still work on it every day.”

Wilson’s fluidity has been apparent so far; he had one of his best practices Monday, hauling in a touchdown catch from Hurts with Kelee Ringo in tight coverage toward the end of the session. The 23-year-old also managed a couple of catches during one-on-one drills, gaining separation against Ringo on a comeback route, although he may have gotten away with a push-off.

The Eagles went into training camp without a clear answer at receiver behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. They signed Campbell early in free agency and added John Ross after the previously retired speed merchant attended a tryout at the team’s rookie minicamp in May. Britain Covey could also figure in as a slot-specific option, and there’s the distinct possibility Eagles general manager Howie Roseman adds someone between now and Week 1, but Wilson has entered the conversation for the time being.

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Moorehead, a former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver at 6-3, 200 pounds, said his playing experience has made it easier to coach Wilson this summer. What’s most important is the coach noticing Wilson’s getting the hang of things now that he has gotten reps with the starters under his belt.

“He’s not swimming when he’s out there,” Moorehead said. “Every young player has to go in with the ones at some point. You’ve got to be in the huddle with Jalen and DeVonta and A.J. and Lane [Johnson], it has to happen. You see it and you get over it, but sometimes it takes a couple practices for you to go, ‘All right, whatever, they’re in here just like I am,’ and you got to go and just play ball.”

Wilson conceded that treading water with the ones wasn’t always easy but agreed things have started to slow down for him on the mental side.

“Definitely at the beginning it was kind of like, ‘Holy crap, everything is moving so fast,’” Wilson said. “... When I started, it was a lot of thinking for me. I felt like I couldn’t play as fast as I usually do. I got the playbook down, got comfortable with the routes, now it’s like I can just fly out there and play fast without as much thinking. That was a big thing for me.”