David Wilson 2012 NFL Draft scouting report

David Wilson

Position Parameters:

· Height: 5’9” to 6’2”

· Weight: 190 – 230 pounds

· Speed: 40 yard dash—Faster than 4.6 seconds

Position Specifics:

· Run Instincts – Wilson has very good vision and run instincts he uses well to find the hole in the defense. He has the foot quickness, agility, and balance to make tacklers miss in traffic or in the open field. He demonstrates good awareness when following his blockers and cuts off of their blocks with a burst. He is a very aggressive runner and has good balance and agility.

· Elusiveness – He has flexible hips and quick feet that allows him to change direction quickly. He has the ability to make tacklers miss in the open field consistently.

· Cutback Ability – He has the foot quickness to make cuts then uses his very good burst to get thru the hole quickly. He consistently makes the 1st defender miss on cutback runs and can get to the perimeter in a hurry.

· Inside Running – Wilson gets his pad level low on runs in between the tackles on a consistent basis. He can deliver a blow and jolt the defender backwards while also gaining extra yardage after initial contact. He has the playing strength, lower body explosiveness, and the toughness to be an effective inside runner in the NFL on a consistent basis. He needs to add a little more bulk to be able to take the pounding a starting running back takes in the NFL.

· Outside Running – He has good vision and quick feet to get outside in a flash. He has tremendous speed to take the ball all the way to the end zone once he turns the corner. He stays on the hips of his blockers well then cuts off of their blocks and uses his foot quickness and burst to get outside then turn the corner.

· Receiving/Hands – He was not used much in the passing game by his team’s offense. When he did get the opportunities he showed good hands to pluck the ball out of the air and secured the ball well. He is very dangerous in the open field with his elusiveness and homerun speed. He will need more reps and opportunities to show he can be a very good receiving threat out of the backfield in the NFL.

· Yards After Catch/Contact – Wilson has shown that he can carry defenders for extra yardage after initial contact. He has the playing strength to drag defenders and move the pile. He has enough juke to make tacklers miss in the open field very well and almost always gets good forward momentum to get extra yardage consistently. He has the shiftiness and hands to excel in receiving out of the back field and would be good on screens.

· Run Blocking – He was not asked to run block much. He lacks the bulk to be a lead blocker. He has the toughness and playing strength to be adequate for a short period if asked to run block on certain plays.

· Pass Blocking – He gives good effort and attempts to eliminate his man from the play. He needs to use better technique when he is used in pass protection.

v Strengths: Wilson is a natural instinctive runner who finds the correct hole and has the foot quickness to get thru it quickly.He is a very quick footed runner who consistently shifts and slides in traffic to avoid taking hard hits and can change directions very fast to make tacklers miss. He is strong with very good balance which helps him to consistently stay on his feet after taking hard hits. He has the playing strength to run thru arm tackles and defenders hanging onto him consistently well. He does an outstanding job of bouncing runs outside when there is nothing in the middle or the play breaks down and has the speed to take it the distance. He did not get many opportunities to run pass routes, but he can catch the ball well and is a very good runner after the catch.

v Weaknesses: He needs to work on keeping his pad level low more consistently. He does not always run with good leverage and body lean which hinders his ability to consistently move the yard markers. He was not used much in catching passes out of the backfield which makes me wonder about his hands because he has the homerun speed and playmaking ability out in open space.

v Summary: Wilson had a super junior season at Virginia Tech rushing for over 100 yards 10 times.He has shown that he can be durable throughout an entire season while also being dependable to always perform at a high level. He will probably not get drafted until the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, but he definitely has first round talent. He needs more opportunities at the next level to show he can catch passes out of the backfield and be a threat in the passing game. Wilson is very competitive and has very good athleticism. Lately, the last few Virginia Tech running backs to enter the NFL haven’t had much success, but I believe Wilson will rise to the challenge and be a very productive all around running back in time. He needs to go to a team where he has time to learn the system and work on his weaknesses.