Michael Wilson NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Arizona Cardinals' WR

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 213

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 31"

WINGSPAN: 75 1/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.58

3-CONE: 6.81

SHUTTLE: 4.27

VERTICAL: 37.5"

BROAD: 10'5"

POSITIVES

— Great burst and acceleration. Rolls off the line of scrimmage effectively.

— Above-average long speed. Plays faster than he tested.

— Good ability to fight through contact during routes. Hard to disrupt.

— Good contested-catch skills. Strong hands, impressive body control.

— Good blocker. Ideal frame, plays with high intensity.

NEGATIVES

— Below-average flexibility and change of direction.

— Lacks explosiveness out of route breaks. Not a consistent separator as a result.

— Plan of attack versus press leaves something to be desired.

— Struggles with concentration drops despite effective contested catch ability.

— Serious injury history. Hasn't played a healthy season since 2019.

2023 STATISTICS

— 6 G, 26 REC, 418 YDS (16.1 AVG), 4 TD

NOTES

— DOB: February 23, 2000

— 4-star recruit in 2018 class, per 247 Sports' composite rating

— 28 career starts

— Season-ending foot injury in 2020, also forced him to miss the first half of the 2021 season

— Season-ending injury (undisclosed) in 2022, only played six games

OVERALL

Michael Wilson has the size, strength, and speed of a legit NFL starter, but a middling change of direction skills and a gnarly injury history may inhibit him at the next level.

Wilson looks and plays the part physically. At just under 6'2" and 213 pounds, Wilson has a strong, stocky build and does well to take advantage of it. While his plan of attack versus press can be questionable, Wilson is hard to knock off his path and disrupt as a route-runner. He plays with great strength and understands how to use his arms to create small pockets of space, both at the top of routes and near the catch point.

That strength also translates elsewhere in Wilson's game. For one, Wilson is tough at the catch point. His blend of strength and body control often gives him the inside track to the ball in contested situations, and he's got the hand-eye coordination and plucky hands to finish consistently. Additionally, Wilson is a tough and chippy blocker, which will help get him on the field early and even give him the versatility to play from tight slot alignments.

Wilson is also a fairly explosive athlete, at least in a straight line. Wilson screams off the line for someone his size and gains steam quickly. His top gear isn't the scariest in the class, but he's got enough speed for his size and hits that top speed in a hurry.

Where Wilson falls short is when it comes to change of direction, an issue at least partly rooted in constant lower body injuries the past three seasons. Wilson can look clunky getting in and out of breaks. He isn't particularly smooth when it comes to settling and getting into his breaks, nor is he explosive coming out of them. Wilson's separation is inconsistent as a result. Additionally, Wilson has frustrating drop issues on routine plays. That can be corrected, but is something to monitor.

If healthy, Wilson could be a weapon at the next level both inside and outside. His blend of size, strength, burst, and blocking skills make him a great vertical outside receiver who can flex to the slot thanks to his blocking chops. That said, Wilson's mediocre mobility and troubling injury history make it difficult to invest in him with a premium pick. Wilson is a perfect high-risk, high-reward mid-round gamble.

GRADE: 6.7 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 119

POSITION RANK: WR18

PRO COMPARISON: Kendrick Bourne

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen