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New York Jets rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson during the 2022 NFL Combine.
Actions speak louder than words – and New York Jets rookie receiver Garrett Wilson seems like someone who has no problem leading by example.
“I am [going to] be here,” Wilson told reporters when asked how he would spend his month or two of summer vacation. “Being good with the strength coaches, being on the same page with all of my teammates and just building chemistry. I am [going to] be here.
The young playmaker even added wisely: “I’m excited for the next 40 days, it says a lot about how someone spends [their] timeout.”
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Dedication is contagious
Garrett Wilson may have brought this dedicated personality from Ohio State, but the trait became contagious at One Jets Drive under head coach Robert Saleh.
During a recent minicamp roundup on The Athletic, beat reporter Connor Hughes noted that sophomore quarterback Zach Wilson will be hosting his own “team overrun camp” in July. Nicknamed “Camp Zach” by Hughes, the journalist explained that it wouldn’t just be about football.
“[Zach] Wilson spoke to his receivers, tight ends and running backs this week and finalized plans for a team moving through camp in July,” he wrote. “It’s not just about coming together to launch, [Zach] Wilson said, but also to bond. He plans fun activities for the group to do together. [Zach] Wilson didn’t say where or specific dates they’ll be working, other than that they’re now finalized.
They say leadership comes from the top, but when you have a locker room full of leaders, that’s the culture.
Coach Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas spoke that word from the moment they each set foot in the building. The Jets didn’t have a culture under Mike Maccagnan and Adam Gase, but they’re shaping one now.
This was on full display during Episode 2 of the Jets’ off-season docu-series, “Flight 2022: New Heights.” While talking about the free agency period, the camera caught a glimpse of each signing’s three main front office “focal points.” It should come as no surprise that “the love of [the] game” was number one.
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Hard work will help Garrett Wilson learn to swim
In the same article, Hughes spoke about the wide receiver’s somewhat slow start to the first round during OTAs and minicamp. He expressed:
The key for [Garrett] Wilson needs to catch up mentally so his physical gifts can shine. He swims as he tries to learn all the nuances of the receiver’s position in this offense. The wide spot is being asked to do a lot in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme, which can be overwhelming for rookies. The break should do [Garrett] Alright Wilson.
While that may sound terrifying to fans, Hughes’ overall message was that he saw improvement in play from the Ohio State product from day one through the end of spring sessions.
“Garrett Wilson seemed more comfortable as the days went on,” he said, “because he was a lot more active in minicamp. He made an incredible catch on Tuesday. [June 14], leaping high in the air and then contorting his body for a 15-yard completion. He mainly works with the attack of the second team behind [Corey] Davis, [Elijah] Moore and [Braxton] Berrios, but it won’t be long before he’s fully working with the starters.
You can hear this obsession with learning when Garrett Wilson speaks. “[I’m] much more comfortable,” the young man admitted to the media. “A lot of things just come with time and rehearsals and that’s something I didn’t have at the start of these OTAs. Now that I’m entering the mandatory minicamp, I feel like I have a best idea what i’m going to do there [to do] and try to accomplish.
“[The playbook is] a lot to learn, but it’s a lot of fun to learn,” the rookie continued. “It puts you in a lot of different positions…you have to know it all, that’s the best way to put it…and that’s really good for me.”
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