Draft Profile: Kyle Wilson
NAME – Kyle Wilson
Position – Cornerback/Punt returner.
College – Boise State.
Status – Red-shirt Senior, graduated in December ‘09 with degree in communications.
Size/Weight – 5-10, 94 pounds.
Important numbers – 4.43 seconds in 40-yard dash, 25 reps on bench press, 38-inch vertical jump, 10-foot 2-inch broad jump.
Age – 23 in late May.
Honors – Second-team All-America ‘08-’09 … first-team All-WAC defense ‘08-’09 … second team All-WAC defense ‘07 … Boise State defensive captain ‘09.
College career – Essentially a four-year starter on the corner for the Broncos, Wilson’s college career ended with a 14-0 season and a victory in the Fiesta Bowl over TCU. He had a sack and forced a fumble in that game against the Horned Frogs. Big plays were part of his m.o. at Boise, with 2 INTs returned for TDs and 3 punt returns for scores including a 90-yarder.
Stats of note – 50 games/46 starts … 160 total tackles … 11 INTs, 27 passes broken up … 63 punt returns for 793 yards and 3 TD returns.
STRENGTHS – Quick with very good reaction skills … good speed and smooth body movements that allow him to mirror a receiver in coverage … if beaten, he has make-up speed … has cornerback mentality; short memory … very good runner with the ball, with good vision to set up blocks.
WEAKNESSES – Sometimes too aggressive and can bite on play-action and be pulled out of position … struggles sometimes against big receivers … does not do much to support the run … average tackler who prefers to fly at the ankles rather than putting a shoulder into the ball carrier.
THE RIGHT 53? – If you want to add a winner, add Wilson. At Piscataway High School in New Jersey, his team was 33-3 over his three seasons of play, with three state titles and Wilson won MVP honors in title games played in ‘02 and ‘04. At Boise State over the four seasons that he was part of the active roster, the Broncos went 49-4 with two unbeaten seasons. So in the last seven years of his playing, Wilson has an 82-7 record. If an NFL team is interested in a winner they couldn’t find anyone more qualified than Kyle Wilson.
What he said – “I think I’m the best at what I do. I strive to be the best. I pay attention to all of the small details and I go out there and compete. I love to compete and I don’t like to lose.”
End game – Wilson has crawled up the draft boards since the end of the season thanks to a strong Senior Bowl and some teams consider him the best CB available in this year’s draft class. Because it’s not an especially strong group on the corner, it’s hard to see Wilson lasting much beyond picks No. 15 to 20 in the first round.
ON THE CHIEFS LIST? – He’s probably on the board, but is unlikely for consideration because he will not last until the Chiefs first choice of the second round. He’s a solid performer, but not elite enough to ponder trading back into the middle of the first round to get him.
He probably has negative body fat being only 94 lbs and all…
Being a BSU Bronco fan I’ve watched Kyle all four years. He will be a good corner in the NFL. He has the brains, the desire and the skill. He steps up his play in the big games and is a big reason BSU has been undefeated. That’s not to say he ever slacks off in less important games, he is just one of those players that always rises to the occasion.
I disagree with the assessment that he doesn’t do much to support the run. He was effective against the run and is excellent in the blitz. He loves contact.
I’d love to see him in red and gold, but alas, he will fall before the second round.