Getty New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson against the Minnesota Vikings.
Mike White and the quarterback position tend to steal the headlines in New York at the moment but the Jets offense revolved around one 22-year-old in Week 13.
Former Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson was downright unguardable against the Minnesota Vikings. Jets X-Factor film analyst Michael Nania detailed the rookie’s performance.
162 yards for Garrett Wilson… but also drew a 24-yard PI and had Peterson toasted on a bomb for at least 40 yards, possibly 85-yard TD if thrown perfectly. Holy cow is he good.
“162 yards for Garrett Wilson… but also drew a 24-yard [pass interference] and had [Patrick] Peterson toasted on a bomb for at least 40 yards, possibly [an] 85-yard TD if thrown perfectly. Holy cow is he good,” Nania tweeted, and he wasn’t the only one that noticed.
Jets’ Garrett Wilson an ‘Absolute Superstar,’ Says Pundit
ESPN’s “Get Up” panel broke down the near-Jets comeback win on Monday morning and while they focused mostly on their personal takeaways, everyone was in agreement on one opinion.
“First off, your wide receiver is an absolute superstar,” former NFL safety Ryan Clark told the audience and his colleagues as quarterback analyst Dan Orlovsky shouted “freak” and both Rex Ryan and Mike Greenberg nodded in agreement.
Clark then took Orlovsky’s lead, voicing that “Garrett Wilson is a freakshow [talent].”
No one even debated him on it because it’s becoming evidently clear to those that understand the game — this kid is special. Head coach Robert Saleh even stated as much after the game.
Ironically, the best example of this may have been the play that never was. Nania mentioned it in the open but it’s important to rewatch this one again, focusing on Wilson rather than White.
A throw White would have loved to have back. Garrett Wilson (bottom) COOKS Patrick Peterson on the stop-and-go. Just a little bit too much mustard on it from White.
Against one of the most experienced cornerbacks in the NFL, Wilson is gone! His route-running technique and double moves are so smooth and dynamic that they’re often underrated when talked about.
This one happens so fast that if you blink, you’ll completely miss the scissor-like footwork from Wilson. After all, Peterson did.
Garrett Wilson Spills Details of Chat With Justin Jefferson
It just so happens that Wilson’s current WR mark to beat might have been standing on the opposite sideline. Many believe that Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is turning into the number-one pass-catcher in the entire NFL.
Jefferson was also tremendous as a rookie, breaking the single-season receiving record for a first-year player during the Super Bowl era with 1,400 yards through the air in 2020. Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase topped that record the following campaign, with 1,455 receiving yards.
Wilson is unlikely to reach either of those marks, considering the Jets’ struggles in the passing game at various points of the year, but he should break the 1,000-yard drought if he can stay healthy the rest of the way. Wilson currently has 790 receiving yards and Week 13 shattered his previous career-high for a single outing.
After the Vikings clash was over, Jefferson and Wilson chatted on the field and the rookie provided some details on the conversation later on.
“We chopped it up,” Wilson told reporters on Sunday. “He said I was fun to watch, I told him that he’s fun to watch and keep doing what he’s doing. He had a little bit of the same to say.”
“Seeing a young dude like that be as productive and great as he is, see how his team responds and relies on him, it was cool to see even being on the other sideline,” Wilson continued in admiration. “It was cool to see and I have a lot of respect for his game and how he goes about his business. That was cool, something I’ll remember, for sure.”
Garrett Wilson over the past 2 weeks:
✈️ 257 yards (1st)
✈️ 119 yards after the catch (1st among WRs)
✈️ 6 receptions gaining 15+ yards (2nd)
Wilson has 257 receiving yards — 119 of which came after the catch — over the past two games according to PFF. If the youngster keeps on his current path, he could eventually join Jefferson in that NFL WR1 conversation but for now, he appears to be staying in the moment.
“Those threes gotta turn to six and that starts with us having a great week of practice,” Wilson commented, regarding the missed opportunities in Minnesota. “It’s frustrating but this is a game of inches and we felt that today.”