Commitment: Utah
Measurables: 6'6", 215 pounds
High School: San Clemente, San Clemente, CA
Previous QB evaluations: Austin Apodaca, Washington State | Shane Dillon, Colorado | Josh Kern, Arizona | Brent Vanderveen, Oregon State
Travis Wilson has a lot of natural gifts. Can he develop into one of the Pac-12's most feared passers with the Utah Utes?
When it comes to arm strength, Wilson probably has the best pure arm among all the recruits. That football goes far whenever he decides to really unleash it. That'll bode well for him in the altitude in Salt Lake City, where football can travel far. Wilson could have unlimited range once he unleashes the football. His ability to throws up 50 yarders without much difficulty will serve him well when trying to make big plays deep for the Utes. As Jack Follman points out, Wilson "looks huge, like Brock Osweiler, and like him knows how to use his body when running. He throws an amazing long ball with range all over the field and uses touch that is impressive for how far he can get the ball downfield. He has outstanding pocket presence, sees the whole field and steps into his throws."
What I also like about Wilson is that he seems more than capable in a pro-style system and then hitting his spots within the offensive flow. He does prove the can scramble for yards, although I doubt running is his first choice. I'd probably like to see more of a quicker release and more reading of the field. In this tape Wilson seems inclined to do the Hollywood movie sort of thing and either throw it deep or run for the end zone. Obviously these are things that are going to be highlighted in these type of reels though, so I'll have faith that Wilson is just as accomplished at the regular throws.
If there's any one caveat with this video, it's that San Clemente is so loaded with talent and generally wins all their games in conference with ease. That doesn't stop players like Matt Barkley from flourishing in college, but he graduated from a high school team overloaded on great players to a college team overloaded on great players. It's going to be a rougher transition for Wilson to try and take over a Utah offense that rarely possesses great playmakers.
Wilson probably feels a lot more comfortable with uncorking it compared to the rest of the QBs on our list. But how will he perform once he has to constantly make reads and adapt on the fly?
Regardless of all that, there's still a lot to like about Wilson in terms of potential. His physical measurables are some of the best of any prospect. If he proves he can handle the regular routes and can do a good job running through his reads, this could be one heck of a steal for Utah on the California recruiting trail.