Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Johnny Wilson. Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

Eagles could 'go big' for a No. 3 receiver

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated 2/26/24

When it comes to finding a new No. 3 receiver, Philadelphia needs to “go big” in the 2024 NFL Draft and they should start with two players from Florida State.

In A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, the Eagles have one of the NFL’s best wide receiver duos. But they have struggled to find a complementary player to go with them. Quez Watkins has just six touchdowns and 1,249 yards since joining the team in 2020 and former Falcon Olamide Zaccheaus had only 10 catches after signing as a free agent last season.

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Seminole receiver Keon Coleman is at least four inches taller and 22 pounds heavier than either receiver. He transferred to Florida State after two years as at Michigan State and finished last season with 50 catches for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning All-ACC honors as the Seminoles’ leading receiver.

THIS CATCH BY KEON COLEMAN pic.twitter.com/k347bYreHt
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) October 14, 2023

With a 33.3% contested catch rate according to Pro Football Focus, Coleman may never develop into an elite pass-catcher, but no receiver has more spectacular catches. He could fall into the second round where the Eagles own two picks.

If Coleman is gone, or if the team wants an even bigger wide receiver, they should look no further than his 6-foot-7, 237-pound teammate, Johnny Wilson. The California native started his college career with Arizona State before leading Florida State with 43 catches and 897 yards in 2022.

His numbers went down in 2023, but with nearly 36-inch arms he’s not getting any smaller and would make an excellent end zone target for quarterback Jalen Hurts. Most draft projections have Wilson being taken in the third round of the draft.

JOHNNY. WILSON.

How did he catch that pic.twitter.com/AvuTun1YpR
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 30, 2022

Back in 1971, the Eagles drafted a 6-foot-8 wide receiver from Southern University named Harold Carmichael. He went on to the Hall of Fame and finished as franchise leader with 8,978 career yards.

No one expects Wilson to reach those numbers, but with his height and proper coaching he could be the No. 3 receiver the Eagles have been looking for.

More must-reads: