This week might finally see the NFL debut of Roman Wilson for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wilson has been out since training camp with an ankle injury, but it seems like he might finally be healthy. He has missed a lot of time though, so it’s unclear how much work he’s going to get if he dresses Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. However, it sounds like he’s been hard at work studying other receivers while his body is recovering.
“Right now, I’ve been watching a lot of Mike Evans,” Wilson said Thursday via Steelers Live on Twitter. “I just feel like his technique is very underrated, and he’s played in the league and done so good for such a long time. Why wouldn’t I want to be that guy?”
That’s certainly an interesting answer to which receiver he’s been studying lately and a good player to study. Evans might be one of the best of his generation at the position. He’s been with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2014, and he’s never had less than 1,000 yards in a season. He’s been the perfect model of consistency.
Wilson’s answer is slightly interesting because of how different they are as players. Evans stands at a towering 6-5, and he weighs over 220 pounds. He wins using his massive frame, having a giant catch radius on the outside.
In contrast, Wilson comes in around 5-11, and he only weighs around 185 pounds. That’s a massive difference on its own, and it isn’t like their play styles are very similar either. Wilson is more suited to work out of the slot and wins using his shiftiness. That is not really Evans’ game at all.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t things Wilson can take from Evans. He hasn’t been this successful this long for no reason. He’s a good route runner, and it sounds like Wilson may have been looking at how Evans has been able to stay so durable. That’s something that could be very beneficial for Wilson.
It’s more of a funny comparison than anything, and it’s probably good for Wilson to try to take tricks from players like Evans. Even though they’re different receivers, Evans is bound for the Hall of Fame, and studying a player with a resumé like his is never bad.
He has the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start a career for a receiver, and he’s done that with inconsistent quarterback play. Durability and consistency are two things that could take Wilson a long way.
