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`10 things you might not know about Cowboys fourth-round pick Damien Wilson
SportsDayDFW.com Follow @SportsDayDFW Email websports@dallasnews.com
Published: June 13, 2015 12:03 am
1. Led his own college tour
Wilson is quite the journeyman. He is from Gloster, Mississippi, went to Alcorn State University, then Jones County Community College and finally landed at the University of Minnesota for his last two seasons.
2. Cutting down
Wilson made a big change from his junior to senior year just in terms of weight. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the linebacker was at 255 pounds as a junior, but he didn’t feel that was where his body needed to be, so Wilson dropped 13 pounds for his senior campaign. “I felt I was a little overweight,” he said. “I felt I was a little slow, and I couldn’t get up to my full potential.” It paid off, as he became the Big Ten’s leading tackler through three games.
3. Tackling machine
Wilson led Minnesota with 119 total tackles in his senior season (63 solo) along with a team-leading 10.5 tackles-for-loss and tied a team-best four sacks. Add that to one interception, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries and Wilson had earned himself an All-Big Ten First Team selection. “He’s a little lighter than he was last year,” Minnesota defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys told the Pioneer Press. “That helps with all the no-huddle teams, spreading it out. You don’t find too many people with his size that run like he does.”
4. Mr. Tough Guy
Wilson has fought through a few injuries in his short career as a Gopher. He tweaked his ankle in a game against TCU and came back in the same game to play after sitting out a few plays. In a game against Penn State, Wilson tore his meniscus and couldn’t walk. Following surgery and a bye week, he played against Wisconsin and recorded eight tackles in that game. “My teammates know I don’t want to come off the field,” Wilson told the Pioneer Press. “They know I love to go out there and play. Any of those guys out there would’ve done the same thing.”
5. He’s a family guy, too
Wilson is the cousin of running back David Cobb, his teammate at Minnesota and the Titans’ fifth round pick Saturday. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the two cousins grew up in Mississippi together and would play each other one-on-one with one as the ballcarrier and the other as the defender.
6. Combine stud
Wilson measures 6-0, 245 pounds. At the combine, he ran a 4.77-second 40-yard dash time, had a 37-inch vertical jump, 119-inch broad jump, 7.21-second cone drill and 4.2-second 20-yard shuttle time.
7. Climbed the college football ladder
Although Wilson was a no-star recruit out of high school, he was a star as a sophomore at Jones County Community College. In that breakout year, Wilson had 122 tackles (76 solo), which ranked fourth in the nation out of JUCO players and earned him 2012 National Defensive Player of the Year. That season helped propel him to a Division I scholarship with Minnesota.
8. His one major flaw
With the aforementioned pair of injuries, the only thing keeping Wilson from a pro career, according to his head coach in September, was his health. “He’s got more than a chance (to play in the NFL),” Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill told the Pioneer Press. “He’ll play at the next level … as long as he stays healthy.”
9. Braving the Minnesota cold
Wilson is looking forward to coming back south after two years in Minnesota. According to an article in the Enterprise Journal (Mississippi), Wilson had to get creative in staying warm including putting Vaseline in his armpits to trap the heat. “There was snow and ice all over the ground, so you’ve really got to watch your step,” Wilson told the Enterprise Journal. “They give you plenty to bundle up and try to stay warm. There’s really nothing you can do when it’s 10 below zero. You really have to suck it up and handle your business.”
10. Stays ahead of the game
Wilson received a lot of help from teammates Maxx Williams (tight end) and David Cobb (running back) when it came to the NFL Combine. According to an article from Fox Sports, Williams finished the combine two days ahead of Wilson and Cobb was one day earlier. “Williams really gives me the scoop,” Wilson told Fox Sports. “Like, I knew that we were going to have to get up for a 4:30 drug test the first day I got here. Maxx texted me and he told me all about it.
SportsDayDFW.com Follow @SportsDayDFW Email websports@dallasnews.com
Published: June 13, 2015 12:03 am
1. Led his own college tour
Wilson is quite the journeyman. He is from Gloster, Mississippi, went to Alcorn State University, then Jones County Community College and finally landed at the University of Minnesota for his last two seasons.
2. Cutting down
Wilson made a big change from his junior to senior year just in terms of weight. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the linebacker was at 255 pounds as a junior, but he didn’t feel that was where his body needed to be, so Wilson dropped 13 pounds for his senior campaign. “I felt I was a little overweight,” he said. “I felt I was a little slow, and I couldn’t get up to my full potential.” It paid off, as he became the Big Ten’s leading tackler through three games.
3. Tackling machine
Wilson led Minnesota with 119 total tackles in his senior season (63 solo) along with a team-leading 10.5 tackles-for-loss and tied a team-best four sacks. Add that to one interception, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries and Wilson had earned himself an All-Big Ten First Team selection. “He’s a little lighter than he was last year,” Minnesota defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys told the Pioneer Press. “That helps with all the no-huddle teams, spreading it out. You don’t find too many people with his size that run like he does.”
4. Mr. Tough Guy
Wilson has fought through a few injuries in his short career as a Gopher. He tweaked his ankle in a game against TCU and came back in the same game to play after sitting out a few plays. In a game against Penn State, Wilson tore his meniscus and couldn’t walk. Following surgery and a bye week, he played against Wisconsin and recorded eight tackles in that game. “My teammates know I don’t want to come off the field,” Wilson told the Pioneer Press. “They know I love to go out there and play. Any of those guys out there would’ve done the same thing.”
5. He’s a family guy, too
Wilson is the cousin of running back David Cobb, his teammate at Minnesota and the Titans’ fifth round pick Saturday. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the two cousins grew up in Mississippi together and would play each other one-on-one with one as the ballcarrier and the other as the defender.
6. Combine stud
Wilson measures 6-0, 245 pounds. At the combine, he ran a 4.77-second 40-yard dash time, had a 37-inch vertical jump, 119-inch broad jump, 7.21-second cone drill and 4.2-second 20-yard shuttle time.
7. Climbed the college football ladder
Although Wilson was a no-star recruit out of high school, he was a star as a sophomore at Jones County Community College. In that breakout year, Wilson had 122 tackles (76 solo), which ranked fourth in the nation out of JUCO players and earned him 2012 National Defensive Player of the Year. That season helped propel him to a Division I scholarship with Minnesota.
8. His one major flaw
With the aforementioned pair of injuries, the only thing keeping Wilson from a pro career, according to his head coach in September, was his health. “He’s got more than a chance (to play in the NFL),” Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill told the Pioneer Press. “He’ll play at the next level … as long as he stays healthy.”
9. Braving the Minnesota cold
Wilson is looking forward to coming back south after two years in Minnesota. According to an article in the Enterprise Journal (Mississippi), Wilson had to get creative in staying warm including putting Vaseline in his armpits to trap the heat. “There was snow and ice all over the ground, so you’ve really got to watch your step,” Wilson told the Enterprise Journal. “They give you plenty to bundle up and try to stay warm. There’s really nothing you can do when it’s 10 below zero. You really have to suck it up and handle your business.”
10. Stays ahead of the game
Wilson received a lot of help from teammates Maxx Williams (tight end) and David Cobb (running back) when it came to the NFL Combine. According to an article from Fox Sports, Williams finished the combine two days ahead of Wilson and Cobb was one day earlier. “Williams really gives me the scoop,” Wilson told Fox Sports. “Like, I knew that we were going to have to get up for a 4:30 drug test the first day I got here. Maxx texted me and he told me all about it.
