Part of the fun of the NFL preseason is seeing a player explode onto the scene and asking yourself, Wait, who is that?
For Green Bay Packers fans, that player was running back Emanuel Wilson, the UDFA rookie from Fort Valley State University who dropped an Oppenheimer of a performance in the Packers’ preseason debut in Cincinnati. Wilson had a 111-yard night on just six carries, including two touchdowns. His 80-yard TD scamper showed incredible finishing speed and great vision.
The battle for the Packers’ third running back spot is wide open, and a performance like Wilson’s is the way to audition for the role. But it’s also the preseason, which means it’s easy to overreact to one good performance. Can Wilson put up more consistent good days and crack the 53-man roster?
Admittedly, I knew very little of Wilson before Friday night. That coveted RB3 spot seemed to be up for grabs between Tyler Goodson and Patrick Taylor. Goodson looks like the best offensive weapon, but Taylor plays a vital role on special teams, an important role for the team’s RB3.
Still, Wilson’s breakout performance, along with injuries to Goodson and seventh-round pick Lew Nichols, means he must at least be in consideration for the role.
As a pure runner, Wilson flashed impressive traits and showed off everything he learned this off-season against the Cincinnati Bengals. Wilson was PFF’s highest-graded offensive player for Green Bay, with an elite 93.5 score. He was also Andy Herman’s second-highest-graded offensive player, with a +0.85. Not only was the 111-yard, two-touchdown night important for his chances of making the roster, but it was also meaningful for another reason.
Friday night marked the 14-year anniversary of the death of Wilson’s father, Manuel. Wilson looked like a decisive veteran during the game but later confessed that he was nervous.
“I can’t really explain the emotions,” Wilson said following the victory, “but I just know that he’s proud of me for reaching my goals and everything I’ve done in life.”
“I know 14 years ago, he lost his father, so I was really happy for him to come out in his debut and rip off over 100 yards and two touchdowns,” Matt LaFleur said.
LaFleur also added, “That was by far the best I would say he’s looked at any time.”
Wilson’s two biggest challenges in earning a roster spot will be staying consistent and showing he’s more than a pure runner.
Preseason is fun because of the big moments from unknown commodities, but we also can’t be prisoners of the moment. Remember Jeff “Mr. August” Janis? Every year there are summer folk heroes who can’t seem to make that jump in September. The competition gets tougher and the stakes higher once the regular season starts. Wilson will need to string together a complete portfolio in the remaining two games and make some splash at practice to prove Friday’s game wasn’t a one-hit-wonder.
With injuries to Goodson and Nichols, he should get plenty of opportunity. LaFleur said each preseason game would be a chance to feature a different back. With two games left, it’s likely Wilson and Taylor will each get a spotlight game.
Excelling as a runner is, obviously, a good thing for a running back to do. But with the power duo of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon in the house, there aren’t a lot of extra offensive snaps to go around. On multiple occasions, LaFleur has discussed that the key to the RB3 spot will be doing the extra dirty work — pass protection and special teams acumen.
Wilson will need to improve in those areas to fight for the roster. “Not that he’s done a bad job; it’s just you want to see the consistency of that,” LaFleur said of Wilson’s ability to do the extra work. Wilson didn’t play any special teams snaps against the Bengals and was only on the field for five passing snaps. We’ll need to see more.
One reason Patrick Taylor gets the edge in these 53-man predictions is his role as a core special teamer. He’s one of the more reliable blockers on the unit, even if he hasn’t been overly impressive as a runner. With Tyler Davis out for the season, the Packers need extra blocking help on special teams.
It’s not impossible that the Packers keep four running backs on the initial roster, but it feels unlikely. Three is the sweet spot. Last year, Green Bay only had Jones and Dillon initially, using practice squad elevation rules to fill the void until the presumed RB3, Kylin Hill, returned to the lineup. The Packers will likely again use those elevation rules to their advantage based on need, but a third running back on the roster feels almost necessary.
Wilson boldly threw his name into consideration after a lightning performance. It may be a bit of an uphill battle for the UDFA to make the roster, but if he can string together a few more performances and prove he can do the extra dirty work, he’s got a chance. It looks like Green Bay may have found something really nice in Wilson.
