Roman Wilson selected in third round of 2024 NFL draft
One thing Michigan football hasn’t been known for over the years has been wide receiver play. But that wasn’t always the case.
Once upon a time, the top receiver in Ann Arbor was destined to be a star at the next level. From Anthony Carter to David Terrell to Braylon Edwards, if you wore the No. 1, chances were you were destined to be a high-level NFL player.
But there’s been a dearth of high-end receivers at Michigan. Though there have been a few recent Wolverines drafted in the third round (Nico Collins and Amara Darboh), it was more likely that if you were a pass catcher in Ann Arbor you were going on Day 3 of the NFL draft or would be an undrafted free agent.
Enter Roman Wilson.
The Hawaii native changed his jersey from No. 14 to No. 1 and took the mantle as the prototypical wideout. A fast player who always managed to get open, Wilson may not have been the focal point of the Wolverine offense, but he was often stellar. His two long receptions against Alabama in the Rose Bowl helped secure the national championship game berth. There were other highlight-reel plays: the two touchdown catches against Nebraska and the TD against Ohio State. While he might not be mentioned in the same breath as Rome Odunze or Marvin Harrison Jr., he was well thought of in NFL circles and was an early NFL draft pick as a result.
On Friday, Wilson heard his name called when he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft with the 84th pick.
After coming to Ann Arbor in 2020, Wilson had nine receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown in his first season. While he came alive the next two years, he was injured in Week 5 of each campaign. He rebounded in 2023, not missing any time due to injury while amassing 789 yards on 48 catches and 12 touchdowns.
