How Michigan football star WR Roman Wilson is 'still winning' as he draws more attention
As things stand five weeks into the 2023 season, Roman Wilson's nickname would be something like "VIII."
By the time No. 2 Michigan football (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) and Minnesota (3-2, 1-1) wrap up their battle for the Little Brown Jug on Saturday in primetime (7:30 pm, NBC) he may get to go by "IX." Or better yet, just "X."
“It’s pretty cool,” Wilson said with a laugh when asked about his proposed nicknamed earlier this week. “Also, when I was little, people used to call me ‘Roman numeral.' I didn’t think it was that funny, but they laughed a lot.”
These days, it's the Michigan wide receiver's turn to laugh, because no matter if it's a number or a conqueror, few Romans — even Augustus — have had a month quite like Wilson just finished.
The standout from Hawaii, who just days before season's start had to make phone calls home as the state battled wildfires, caught 19 passes for 324 yards, (17.2 per attempt) — all of which rank in the top 10 in the Big Ten — in the season's opening month.
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In just five games, Wilson nearly matched his output from all of last season, when he had 25 catches for 376 yards. He is tied with LSU's Brian Thomas Jr. for a nation-best eight receiving touchdowns — as many as he caught in the first 31 games of his career combined.
“I'm not gonna say it's surprising that it's something I'm doing. I know I'm a very good player,” Wilson said of his start. “But it's definitely something, you know? I can't really put words to it. I'm just happy it's happening.”
Without question, the most electric of his eight scores thus far was the first of two in Michigan's road trip last week to Nebraska, a 45-7 beatdown. It was second-and-2 at the Nebraska 29 when U-M dialed up a double move for Cornelius Johnson on the right side, who was well-defended.
That's when quarterback J.J. McCarthy scanned back across the field and heaved the ball for Wilson in the end zone. The receiver went up and over the Cornhuskers defender, pinned the ball on the back of his helmet and secured the catch as he came crashing down for the score.
The following Monday, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh revealed whenever somebody makes a great play or is deemed the "player of the game," staffers will frame a photo and hang it in the team room.
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"Now we're gonna do a three-in-one collage," Harbaugh told reporters. "That play just needs three different pictures to really show how good it was."
Wilson doesn't get what the big deal was. He agreed it was an impressive catch, but without question, he said, he still prefers a play he made in practice during fall camp, when he high-pointed a ball and came down with a one-handed grab.
He has long wanted to share it on social media, but Harbaugh forbids posting anything from practice, so Wilson fears it will never see the light of day.
Either way, Harbaugh's proud of his top receiver — who he called into his office over the summer to present with the No. 1 jersey — and the progress he has made.
"Love the way he's playing," Harbaugh said. "He's getting a lot of attention now and he's still winning. Still finishing plays, blocking."
The advanced numbers show the same story. Wilson's run-blocking grade (per Pro Football Focus) has gone up every week this season, reaching a peak in Week 5 at 87.8. In fact, Wilson's season-long overall grade (87.9) is second-best on the team, behind only McCarthy, who has thrown him all eight scores.
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But as much pride as the 6-foot, 192-pound slot receiver takes in his blocking, the reason Wilson is turning heads at the next level is his elite speed and ability to get open against man or zone concepts, in all different areas of the field.
Wilson has caught seven of eight "deep balls" (defined as passes 20 or more yards long in the air) thrown his way this year. On those attempts, Wilson's average depth of target is 25.3 yards, as he has seven grabs for 157 yards and five touchdowns.
He's doing nearly as much damage when targeted on medium-depth throws, having caught six of 10 passes for 117 yards and two scores. In total, Wilson has caught 19 of the 25 passes thrown his way, with zero drops, and has turned them into 15 first downs and eight scores.
Wilson credited the difference with turning his intensity from 95% to "110," and coaches have noticed.
“Roman has kind of had a different conviction about him (since the College Football Playoff loss to TCU),” Michigan defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale said Wednesday. “He's been very competitive. He's trying to catch everything they throw to him. He's trying to learn how to get open on different coverages or different techniques that people are showing him or that we show him."
Prior to the season, Wilson said he wanted to leave no doubt that he cold be trusted as McCarthy's No. 1 receiver. On Tuesday evening, as he was peppered with questions, he was asked what it feels like having proven himself as the Wolverines' top pass-catching option. He pushed back.
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"J.J. has very good chemistry with all his players," Wilson said. "I mean, me and him have good chemistry, too. I don't know. We're doing our thing, I guess."
In case it's not evident, even as he is becoming a national name, Wilson has remained relatively quiet. He has let his game do the talking, as he tries to leave each contest with the message, coined of course, in Roman times:
Veni, vidi, vici.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him @realtonygarcia.
Next up: Hoosiers
Matchup: No. 2 Michigan (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten entering Saturday's late game) vs. Indiana (2-3, 0-2).
Kickoff: Noon Saturday; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.
TV/radio: Fox; WXYT-FM (97.1), WTKA-AM (1050).
Line: TBA.
More online: Saturday's game at Minnesota ended after this edition went to print. Visit freep.com/sports to see how Jim Harbaugh & Co. fared against the Gophers.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How Michigan football WR Roman Wilson is conquering the competition
