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The conversation surrounding ex-Florida players who hope to be selected in the upcoming NFL draft is rightfully centered on the Gators’ trinity of offensive products. Expand the conversation to a Mount Rushmore of prospects, and the fourth man who enters the picture is cornerback Marco Wilson.
There’s a steep dropoff in national name recognition between quarter Kyle Trask, who will most certainly be the third Gator to be drafted, and Marco Wilson. However, many of the Florida faithful know him well, his name indelibly linked among the fans to an unfortunate shoe-throwing incident that helped seal the deal on Florida’s loss to LSU at the end of the 2020 season.
Experience is often called the best teacher, but in Wilson’s case it was also the harshest one. In an interview with G. Allan Taylor of The Athletic, he called the reaction from many on social media “disgusting.” However, he also acknowledged his mistake, saying he allowing himself to get overcharged because he “just wanted so badly to go out there and beat ’em.”
Wilson’s pro prospects are hardly dead, especially after being rekindled by his jaw-dropping pro day numbers.
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The Athletic’s draft guide called him projectable with room to get stronger, but Wilson disagreed. He responded by saying “I don’t think there’s any corner out there that’s stronger than me right now.” That may sound like stereotypical jock arrogance, especially for a player without significant national renown, but in this case, he’s probably right.
No cornerback in the 2021 draft class topped his 26 reps at the bench press. Only two cornerbacks bested his 40-yard dash time. None even came close to his 43.5” vertical jump. He earned the third-highest RAS grade (a composite athleticism score based on combine/pro day results) for a cornerback since 1987. The only reason he isn’t the highest scorer in this draft class is because Jaycee Horn’s size advantaged barely edged him out.
“The game is tough, and you can’t get caught up in the bad plays. You learn from it and know what you need to work on,” said Wilson.
That mindset will be key to his long-term success in the NFL. He has a checkered history in coverage against college teams and cornerbacks have a famously difficult time getting traction at the next level. On the other hand, his physical gifts clearly aren’t lacking and he’s learned from his mistakes.
Let’s hope experience isn’t quite so harsh a teacher for Wilson the next time around.
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