On Friday, Stanford 5th year wide receiver Michael Wilson was selected in the 3rd round (94th overall pick) by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2023 NFL Draft. Wilson is the first Stanford player to be selected in this year’s draft, exceeding the projection I had for him by a lot, which was 5th to 7th round.
In my breakdown of Stanford’s 2023 NFL Draft prospects, I wrote of Wilson: Michael Wilson played five years on The Farm, coming back for an extra year in 2022. At 6’2”, 209 pounds, Wilson has solid size for a wide receiver. He is an exceptional route runner who really prides himself on his technique. He’s very meticulous about his craft and really focuses on the details.
When he was healthy, Wilson brought a real calmness and collectiveness to the Stanford offense. There’s reason he was voted a team captain. He’s just a guy who his teammates really respected because of how hard he worked and how he led by example. Former wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy said Wilson was one of those guys who he would tell other guys to be like. If they didn’t know how to do something, he’d tell them to watch Michael Wilson and learn from him. Wilson is just one of those kind of guys.
The two biggest weaknesses Wilson has are his health and hands. He was hurt for much of his time at Stanford, playing in the final four games of the 2021 season and playing in six games of the 2022 season. He’s going to have convince NFL teams that he isn’t too fragile and that his body can handle the pounding of an NFL season.
In terms of his hands, Wilson dropped too many balls in his Stanford career. It’s something he is very well aware of and I’m sure has worked on a lot during the offseason. If he can shore that part up of his game and stay healthy, he could be a real steal of this draft.
In terms of his draft projection, from what I’ve been reading, it looks like his stock has risen as a result of his combine and pro day experiences. I’m going to put Wilson in the 5th to 7th round range. Seems like odds are good he’ll get drafted, it’s just a question of where.
The fact that Wilson went in the 3rd round to the Cardinals speaks to the fact that he really boosted his draft stock during his pre-draft workouts at the combine, Stanford Pro Day, and whatever other workouts he did in front of teams. The Cardinals clearly see a lot of upside in him and think he’s a guy who has got a chance to really make a difference for their team.
If I could add anything to what I wrote above about Wilson, it would be that he is an extremely hard working player. His commitment to technique speaks to his work ethic, but I think it deserves to be underscored once more. Wilson was arguably the hardest working player on the entire team during his time at Stanford, so in that vein it is fitting to see him be the first guy to be selected.
Wilson understands that work ethic and attention to detail make the difference at the professional level in any sport and he has clearly demonstrated this understanding well by getting drafted where he is.
It’ll be fun to see what Wilson does in a Cardinal uniform and what kind of impact he has on their organization both on and off the field. The Cardinals are getting a guy who will help them foster a winning culture while also bringing precision and a tireless work ethic to their wide receiving room. Wilson easily could end up being one of the biggest steals of this entire draft.
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