2018 Raiders Draft Prospect: WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.

2018 Raiders Draft Prospect

Name: Cedrick Wilson Jr.
Position: WR
School: Boise St.
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 194
Round Estimation: 3-5
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Background

The former high school quarterback was not highly recruited out of high school. Wilson Jr. went to JUCO before he spent the last two seasons as a WR at Boise. His father Cedrick Wilson Sr. was a 6th round NFL draft pick who played in 100 career games over 7 years for the Steelers and 49ers.

Cedrick Wilson might be the best WR here. He can’t stop making plays. #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/5fkScOj2Z3

— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) January 25, 2018

At Boise St., Wilson Jr. came up big in critical games. He had 10 receptions and 221 yards in the Boise St. win over Oregon in Las Vegas Bowl despite nursing an ankle injury. Wilson caught eight passes and 148 yards versus rival Fresno State in MWC Championship game. He earned All-Mountain West 1st team honors in 2017 and honorable mention selection in 2016. For the Broncos, Wilson finished his career with 139 catches, 2,650 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in only two seasons.  He averaged more than 25 yards per kick return last season as well.

Wilson Jr. caught one pass for four yards in the Senior Bowl but was considered a standout in practices. He also got invited to the East-West Shrine Game. the receiver recently accepted an invite to the upcoming NFL Combine. He graduated this year too.

Strengths

More goodness, from Cedrick Wilson vs Washington State. Shrine practices kick off in less than two weeks. #NorrisNotes pic.twitter.com/L2xrQ5yxXG

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) January 3, 2018

Athletically, Wilson brings a slender frame that can add weight. He has very good speed and acceleration combined with good speed and leaping ability. He can use these combinations to make highlight catches. Wilson was a highly productive receiver at Boise St. 26 percent of his catches went for 25-plus yards but he is more than a deep threat.

He’s a versatile receiver with an ability to line up inside and out. Wilson Jr. brings very good mental toughness as he competed through injuries and appeared in every game at Boise. He has good mental processing speed to make sideline catches, draw penalties on defenders, find running lanes after the catch and make sideline grabs.

Cedrick Wilson is smooooooooth pic.twitter.com/ho2g2bSApA

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) January 25, 2018

Wilson Jr. worked the short, middle and deep parts of the field. He has a good ability to push up the field and keep defenders honest. Uses body control on routes to freeze defenders with fakes and double moves.  Wilson used his speed to create separation in the deep part of the field. He shows a good burst to track the ball deep and he has an ability to make back shoulder catches. Good at using his hands to extend for the ball and brings it into his body to make the catch. Also, brings good body control to make acrobatic catches.

Otherwise, Wilson’s best routes included verticals, slants, crossing patterns and out routes.  He has good short-area quickness to separate in short and intermediate routes.  Wilson is good at catching passes in stride, securing the ball and turning up the field. The senior showed good awareness on out routes and sideline routes to get his feet in bounds or turn upfield. He is also good at making catches working back to the football. The BSU receiver is dangerous after the catch as he can make people miss with his good body control and change of direction. Showcases elusiveness to get by defenders and power to put his shoulder down and finish runs after the catch. Wilson Jr. can also compete as a returner.

Weaknesses

Wilson Jr. doesn’t have a ton of weaknesses. He can struggle to get off the line versus press coverage. He can also struggle to beat defenders with elite athleticism and recovery downfield.  Too many times, Wilson Jr. can rely on his body to catch the ball. He needs to do more to expand his catch radius and catch the ball away from his body.

The Boise St. receiver needs to improve physicality as a blocker. His feet can get out from under him which will cause him to fall in the open field. His hand-eye coordination is adequate for his position. He is still learning the receiver position with only two years experience at BSU. He will need to clean up his route tree at the next level. His lean frame could cause concerns taking big hits at the next level as well.

Raiders Fit

Entering 2018, the Raiders receivers are unknown. Can Amari Cooper revert to form after a bad 2017 season? Will Michael Crabtree be with the team after falling out of favor with the previous regime? Will Cordarelle Patterson and Seth Roberts keep their jobs? Roberts would cost the team about $2 million in dead money if he were cut but Patterson has a player option for over $3 million this year.

Josh Allen to Cedrick Wilson. TD pic.twitter.com/abj0cXmPzb

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) January 25, 2018

Therefore, the Raiders could use a player like Wilson who can provide depth at the inside and outside receiver spots. Wilson could both challenge for reps in third and fourth receiver sets immediately. The BSU prospect also brings potential to start down the line once he polishes his receiver skills. He could challenge Johnny Holton for his roster spot and Roberts for his role as the first outside and inside receiver off the bench. Wilson could also compete as a returner in Oakland.

NFL Draft Scout has him ranked as the No. 20 receiver with a 40-yard dash in the low 4.40s. NFL.com rates him as a round 4-5 player. Walter Football puts him as the No. 15 receiver with a round 3-5 grade.

Another Shrine Game WR, Boise State’s Cedrick Wilson. Ted Ginn-like game. Crossing routes and vertical shots. He tracks the ball well on all of these. #NorrisNotes pic.twitter.com/RXJYJWmvo4

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) January 3, 2018

NBC’s Josh Norris compared Wilson to Ted Ginn for vertical shots, crossing routes and underneath skills. However, Norris said Wilson is better at tracking the ball and not as quick. Other web comparisons include Marvin Jones and Johnny Holton. He has way more collegiate production than Holton but he is not quite as big as Jones. Still, Wilson had one of the best weeks at the Senior Bowl, per Bleacher Report’s Mike Tanier.  PFF graded him as a top-25 receiver in 2016 and a top-10 draft-eligible receiver for 2017.

His stock is trending upwards and it could get higher if he showcases improvement catching the ball away from his body or kills any athletic tests at the NFL Combine. Some good weight gain and a sub-4.4 40-yard dash could solidify him as a Day Two pick as well. Wilson already put on some good weight before the Senior Bowl so he could do that again.

No idea how WR Cedrick Wilson comes down with this one. Tracking is consistently a positive in his game. #NorrisNotes pic.twitter.com/IP6Ci8n703

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) January 3, 2018

Ultimately, the Raiders would be lucky to gain a receiver like Wilson in the third or fourth round. He brings the production and NFL pedigree to compete immediately. They need a receiver talent on the outside and inside positions as well as a returner. Oakland would be lucky to get a playmaker like Wilson on Day Two or Three of the 2018 NFL Draft. The BSU alumni has the versatility and potential to become a solid starter in the league too. At the very least, he is a highly competitive and productive 2018 Raiders draft prospect worth keeping an eye on at the NFL Combine.