play with his eyes on the ball a lot and opens himself up more often to unprotected hits. The most dangerous hits. People leading with helmet type hits. It's also a skill and timing position, just not as simple to walk into, even with goalie experience. It's not the same thing. It's a decent learning curve if the offense is complex too.
I would think he could play anywhere on the field if it's a small school. Those skill positions put you at most risk for head injuries, (concussions) the scariest type of injury. If you look at NFL statistics, DB's, WR's, and TE's are most vulnerable.
All I'm saying is I'm not sure I'd jump into a skill position as a junior in HS to try and make a team. And especially if you have zero football experience, WR is about as high risk for concussions as it gets.