No matter where any individual stands on the state of the New York Jets, there’s no denying the sheer talent their WR1 possesses.
Garrett Wilson ain’t no joke—according to most (not just Eric B.)—and one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL has no problem reminding the football world just how true that statement is.
On the “Nightcap” (podcast) with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson (Ochocinco), All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. named Garrett Wilson as one of the NFL’s toughest receivers to cover.
When asked if anybody came to mind regarding having to be on his A game, Stingley harkened back to a Wilson play that left him in awe.
“I’ve always said, Garrett Wilson with the Jets, I remember the first time I went against him,” Stingley answered. “We were at some high school camp, or something like that, and Garrett ran a slant route. I’m playing a deep third or something; the ball is thrown so high, and I’m like 15-20 yards behind him, thinking the ball is coming right to me.
“He (Wilson) jumps up so high, catches the ball, and runs, and I’m just like, yeah … “
Although Stingley made the comments in November of this year, it’s noteworthy to highlight the exchange on the day when Wilson was officially shut down for the rest of the season due to injury. (Sometimes, when a team consistently finishes with putrid results, the gifts stashed away in the cupboard need reminding.)
Wilson, 25, will miss the Jets’ final three games of the 2025 season. Rehabbing from a sprained right knee that was injured in his team’s 13-11 loss in London to the Denver Broncos, the man the kids call G5 has endured a forgettable season.
Career lows across the board, Wilson finishes the campaign with just 395 yards and 4 touchdowns on 36 receptions (59 targets). Incredibly, his 395 receiving yards still lead the Jets through 14 games (with the nearest being Mason Taylor’s 369 yards).
Obviously, Wilson’s former Ohio State teammate Justin Fields failed spectacularly in Aaron Glenn’s first season at the helm. Before him, Aaron Rodgers took his turn, and although Wilson produced the best numbers of his career in 2024, team success was elusive.
The only thing left for Garrett Wilson and the New York Jets is to find the right guy to lead the offense.
Whether that turns out to be Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (who’s currently the undisputed prize of the mock draft season), Oregon’s Dante Moore, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, or someone else to be named later, remains to be seen.