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NY Jets WR Garrett Wilson on pace for a record-setting rookie season

Justin Fried
Justin Fried

The Jet Press

NY Jets, Garrett Wilson / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

It's been a while since the NY Jets have had a true established No. 1 wide receiver, but 12 games into his NFL career, rookie Garrett Wilson appears to be just that for the organization.

The 10th overall pick in this year's draft, Wilson has wasted little time establishing himself as the focal point of this Jets' offense. He's put up some very impressive numbers despite receiving some of the worst quarterback play in the league for most of the year.

In fact, Wilson is on the verge of making Jets history.

Wilson's 790 receiving yards on 57 catches rank second among all rookie wide receivers in Jets history, trailing only Keyshawn Johnson by 54 yards. He could set a new franchise record as soon as next week.

Mind you, it's still only Week 14.

Garrett Wilson is having a historic rookie season for the NY Jets

Wilson is currently on pace to finish with 81 catches for 1,119 yards and six touchdowns which would mark the most productive season by a Jets wide receiver since Brandon Marshall's team-record 1,502 yards in 2015.

Only three Jets receivers have topped the 1,110-yard mark since the turn of the 21st century — Marshall, Jerricho Cotchery, and Laveranues Coles. Wilson is on pace to be the fourth.

The former Ohio State standout is coming off a career-best performance against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in which he finished with eight catches for 162 yards.

It's fair to wonder what Wilson's rookie season might look like had he received even adequate quarterback play for most of the year.

Since Mike White took over as the Jets starting quarterback in Week 12, Wilson leads all players in receiving yards, all wide receivers in yards after the catch, and ranks second with six receptions of 15 yards or longer.

That's in just two games with White. Wilson's Offensive Rookie of the Year candidacy continues to heat up, due in large part to the Jets' quarterback change.

Garrett Wilson might be just a week away from becoming the most prolific rookie wide receiver in Jets' history. And if he keeps this pace up, he could just put together one of the most impressive seasons ever by a Jets' wide receiver.

The Jets have found themselves a superstar.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.