Garrett Wilson Bio
Garrett Wilson (born July 22, 2000) is an American professional football wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected 10th overall by the Jets in the 2022 NFL draft, and he was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after his first professional season. Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and listed at 183 pounds, Wilson has quickly become a focal point of the Jets passing attack.
Garrett Wilson Early Life and Background
Early Life and Background
Garrett Wilson was born on July 22, 2000, in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, until the age of 11. After his family relocated, he attended Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, where he became one of the most productive receivers in school history. At Lake Travis, Wilson helped lead the program to a 6A state championship in 2016 alongside quarterback Charlie Brewer.
Wilson finished his high school career as the school’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, finishing with 204 receptions for 3,359 yards and 55 touchdowns. Following his senior season, he played in the 2019 All-American Bowl and was rated a five-star recruit. He was ranked as the second-highest wide receiver in his class and committed to play college football at Ohio State University.
Path to American Football
Wilson arrived at Ohio State as a highly regarded recruit and wasted little time contributing. As a true freshman in 2019, he appeared in all 14 games and posted 30 receptions for 432 yards and five touchdowns, giving him an early foothold in the Buckeyes passing game. The following offseason, the coaching staff moved him from an outside receiver alignment into the slot, where his quickness and route craft could be featured more often.
In his sophomore season of 2020, Wilson emerged as a big-play threat, becoming only the second player in Ohio State history to record four straight games with at least 100 receiving yards. His production earned him First-team All-Big Ten honors that year, and he was again recognized in 2021 with Second-team All-Big Ten recognition. After the 2021 campaign, Wilson opted out of the Rose Bowl to focus on preparing for the 2022 NFL draft.
Garrett Wilson Career
Early Career (2022)
Wilson was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft with the 10th overall pick by the New York Jets. The Jets used a selection originally obtained in a 2020 trade that sent safety Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks. He made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens and quickly established himself as a reliable target. In Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, Wilson produced eight receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns in a 31–30 win, his first multi-touchdown game as a professional.
He closed his rookie season with 83 receptions for 1,103 receiving yards and four touchdowns, setting Jets franchise rookie records for receptions and receiving yards in a single season. On February 9, 2023, Wilson was voted the Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
Sophomore Season (2023)
Wilson returned for his second NFL season and started all 17 games, serving as a steady presence in the Jets offense. He finished the year with 95 receptions for 1,042 receiving yards and three touchdowns, demonstrating the volume and consistency expected of a top-ten pick. His workload affirmed his role as a primary target heading into his next contract year.
Jets Continuity Era (2024)
On January 9, 2024, Wilson changed his jersey number from 17 to 5, the number he had worn at Ohio State and previously worn by punter Thomas Morstead. During the 2024 season, he delivered one of his strongest years to date, highlighted by a Week 9 performance against the Houston Texans in which he caught nine passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns in a 21–13 win. That effort earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Wilson finished 2024 with 101 receptions for 1,104 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, reaching the 100-catch and 1,000-yard milestones in the same season. The performance strengthened his case as one of the young centerpieces of the Jets offense.
Contract and 2025 Season
On April 21, 2025, the Jets picked up the fifth-year option on Wilson’s rookie contract. On July 14, 2025, he signed a four-year, $130 million contract extension with the team, locking in his future in New York through 2029. On November 13, 2025, Wilson was placed on injured reserve due to a knee sprain, and on December 19, head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed that Wilson would be shut down for the remainder of the season. He finished the 2025 season with 36 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Wilson’s career milestones are setting Jets franchise rookie records for receptions and receiving yards in 2022, winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and signing a four-year, $130 million extension in 2025. He has also earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week recognition and reached the 100-reception, 1,000-yard threshold in 2024.
Garrett Wilson Career Statistics
Through the 2025 NFL season, Garrett Wilson has recorded 315 receptions for 3,644 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns in his professional career. His yearly production has trended upward since his rookie campaign, with three straight 1,000-yard seasons in 2022, 2023, and 2024 before an injury-shortened 2025.
Garrett Wilson Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Wilson’s father, Kenny Wilson, played basketball at Davidson College, giving Garrett an athletic family background. Wilson has maintained a long-standing friendship with New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty, with the two having grown up together.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was defined by Wilson’s new contract and a difficult second half on the field. After signing a four-year, $130 million extension in July, Wilson continued in his role as the Jets’ top receiver before a knee sprain sent him to injured reserve in mid-November. Head coach Aaron Glenn later confirmed that Wilson would not return for the final stretch of the schedule, ending his year prematurely.
Wilson finished 2025 with 36 receptions for 395 receiving yards and four touchdowns, well below his previous totals. The shortened season created a reset point heading into 2026, with Wilson still under contract and positioned as a focal point of the Jets offense once healthy.
