Steelers finally address the WR position by drafting dynamic national champion Roman Wilson at 84th overall

One of the more dynamic WRs in the class, Roman Wilson will be replacing what the Steelers had in Diontae Johnson as a natural separator and route runner in a 5-11, 180-190 pound package. The only difference, he's much faster with a confirmed 4.39 forty yard dash. More on what makes him a promising prospect:

Strengths:

• Run After Catch
  Excellent make-miss ability. Turns into a running back with the ball in his hands with excellent vision and the ability to allocate additional yards
• Athleticism
  Elite tester who is an easy strider and can obliterate pursuit angles or out-leverage defenders off the line or with the ball in his hands

Evaluation

Wilson is like an EV that shows up to the muscle car meet. He’s not as physically imposing or as flashy, but he has easy gas and 0-60 acceleration that leaves defenders struggling to keep up.

He Could use some more detail in his route running and you would like him in a bigger frame but his obvious athletic gifts will leave teams coveting him as a dynamic weapon.

Expect him to be one of the faster players during Senior Bowl week in Mobile, likely competing for the top spot on the GPS tracking device in terms of MPH, given his status on Bruce Feldman's "Freak's list." It will be Wilson's first chance to get in front of NFL teams in such a setting, meaning a big week could be on tap for the new national champion. 

A three-year starter at Michigan, Wilson worked primarily out of the slot in offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore’s pro-style scheme, running mostly inbreakers, like crossers, slants, etc. (71.7 percent of his catches in 2023 came between the numbers). He became the go-to weapon for the Wolverines’ national championship team and was one of just 10 FBS players in 2023 with at least 12 receiving touchdowns (79.2 percent of his catch es resulted in a first down or touchdown). Wilson has a strong sense of the biomechanics of his athleticism to make crisp speed cuts without breaking stride, which creates separation and gives his quarterback a target. However, not every route is a race, and he needs further development with his pacing, early (releases) and late. Overall, Wilson is a speedy slot with the hands and competitive makeup to pester defenses and consistently move the sticks. He has the talent to win a starting role for an NFL offense. -Dane Brugler, The Athletic

Final Word

With Pittsburgh's third pick in the draft, they continue to bat .1000, hitting home runs at their top three positions of need starting with tackle, center, and now WR. An explosive route runner who can make plays from any alignment, expect Wilson to be a contributor early in Pittsburgh.