Ohio State wide receivers could fit the Eagles’ needs in the NFL draft’s first round

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Garrett Wilson will always be grateful for his father, Kenny, who raised him around football.

The father-son duo spent all of Garrett’s childhood around the sport while he grew up in Austin, Texas. From Pop Warner to 7-on-7 Select to eventually attending Ohio State and becoming one of the most talented receivers, Garrett credits his inseparable bond with his father.

But there is one difference the two can never settle on.

Kenny is a Cowboys fan through and through, while Garrett – who wanted to oppose his father’s rooting habits — labels himself a “die-hard” Eagles fan.

The 2022 NFL draft is rapidly approaching, and Wilson and Ohio State teammate Chris Olave are widely considered two of the top receivers in this year’s class.

For Wilson, it would be a dream come true if he winds up getting drafted by the Eagles, who have 10 total selections, including three first-round picks, at Nos. 15, 16, and 19.

“I actually grew up a die-hard Eagles fan,” Wilson said this week. “I was a quarterback when I was a younger and the Eagles have paved the way for Black quarterbacks to look up to with [Michael] Vick, [Randall] Cunningham, [Donovan] McNabb, and now Jalen Hurts. So being a young dude in a quarterback family, I flocked to them.

“I grew up an Eagles fan and made sure I told [coach Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman] that.”

Ohio State held its annual pro day on Wednesday with 108 NFL personnel representing all 32 teams in attendance at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. The Eagles had three representatives who RSVP’d, including director of college scouting Alan Wolking, Midwest area scout Jim Ward, and passing game coordinator/assistant coach Kevin Patullo.

With quarterback C.J. Stroud throwing passes, Olave and Wilson headlined the show. For nearly an hour, the receivers ran an assortment of routes from both the slot and outside spots. Pro days are generally scripted, but Olave and Wilson still generated some ooohs and aaahs from the scouts in attendance as they showed off their twitch and burst off the line of scrimmage and their toe-tapping catches. Near the end of the workout, Olave ran a fade route and hauled in a stellar one-handed grab on a 60-yard heave from Stroud.

» READ MORE: How free agency has changed the Eagles’ draft needs

Several draft experts have both receivers linked to the Eagles. Inside Todd McSay’s latest mock draft for ESPN, he has the Eagles pegged to swipe Olave with the 16th selection. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Wilson dropping to the Eagles at No. 19, while The Athletic’s Dane Brugler predicts the Eagles will select Olave at No. 19.

Regardless of your mock choice, the consensus from experts is the Eagles need to improve at the position, and Olave and Wilson are considered worthy candidates.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein describes Wilson as “a linear, inside/outside receiver. ... His long speed is good, but the acceleration burst is what makes him such an effective separator in space. He might not be smooth getting there, but he has eye-popping ball skills when it’s time to go make a play. Wilson needs to work on his ability to consistently uncover on all three levels, but he has the traits to become a very good WR2 if he tightens up areas of concern.”

As for Zierlein’s scouting report of Olave: “The quiet storm of the Ohio State wide receiver corps, Olave is smooth, steady and makes things happen. His movements are fluid and easy from snap to the catch and all points between. He’s fast but efficient and plays with the bend and foot agility to uncover on all three levels. Olave possesses natural, well-rounded ball skills but needs to add play strength to ward off the physical challenges that are headed his way. His play traits should allow for success beyond the scheme and talent advantages surrounding him at Ohio State. He is an inside/outside hybrid appealing to offenses looking for a field-stretcher with the ability to take on a sizable catch load.”

Both receivers discussed the possibility of playing for the Eagles and teaming up with the team’s top receiver, DeVonta Smith. Olave and Wilson had a firsthand look at the former Heisman Trophy award winner during the 2020 national championship game, when Smith torched Ohio State for 12 receptions, 215 yards, and three touchdowns en route to leading Alabama to the 54-24 victory.

“I got to see DeVonta play my sophomore year when he was a senior, and he was the best receiver I’ve ever seen in person,” Wilson said. “He’s a freaking dawg, man. Watching him play at Alabama and then seeing what he did last season with the Eagles, it would be a blessing to learn from someone like that who just went through their rookie season and knows what I’m about to come into. He’s mature and such a special talent.

“Us two together, man. We would cause some problems on the field.”

Said Olave: “[Smith’s] winning the Heisman, I could learn a lot from him. We’re [around] the same age, I feel like we’d be a great tandem. We’ll see how it shakes.”

The Eagles’ current depth chart features: Smith, Quez Watkins, Zach Pascal, Jalen Reagor, JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Greg Ward. Wideouts Deon Cain and John Hightower also are part of the active roster. There is some promise from that Smith-led group, but the passing game and quarterback Jalen Hurts would benefit from another outside addition. Besides at receiver, the team has lingering needs at safety, cornerback, and linebacker.

In recent weeks, the team has actively attempted to improve the group’s talent level. The Eagles reportedly courted the Falcons about a potential trade for Calvin Ridley before he was suspended for betting on games, and they also showed interest in free agent Christian Kirk, who signed with the Jaguars.

Roseman has been vocal about the Eagles’ being open to trading some of the team’s draft capital, but could that also mean possibly moving up to select either Wilson or Olave? Other top receiver prospects include USC’s Drake London and Arkansas’ Treylon Burks, Alabama’s Jameson Williams, and Penn State’s Jahan Dotson.

The team has invested premium picks on the position in three consecutive drafts: Arcega-Whiteside (No. 57 overall, 2019), Reagor (No. 21, 2020), and Smith (No. 10, 2021). Smith came as advertised during his rookie year, but the same cannot be said for Arcega-Whiteside and Reagor — both of whom haven’t panned out for the Eagles.

Consider this Wilson’s pitch to the Eagles – the only team he grew up cheering for.

“[Sirianni] is really good people,” Wilson said. “We ended up having an amazing conversation about the offense and he got to know me as a person [at the NFL scouting combine] ... The meeting went really, really well. It would be a dream to play for them.”