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The buzz around Florida's Pro Day centered on Kyle Pitts, Kadarius Toney, and Kyle Trask but cornerback Marco Wilson did his best to steal the show.
Wilson burst on the scene at Florida joining an exclusive list of freshman cornerbacks to start their first game. He had a solid freshman season but missed his sophomore campaign with torn ACL, played in C.J. Henderson's shadow when he came back as a junior, and then his senior season came. It was a step back in play for Wilson, who had set the bar high and then an ugly lapse in judgment and character tarnished the ending of the LSU game.
"I had a lot of energy. Made a good play. I was excited and just made an unfortunate mistake. That’s how that is. I wished it never happened," Wilson said after his Pro Day performance. "Everything’s not going to go your way. Are you going to face adversity in life and see how this can affect my team, affect me, affect my family, stuff like that. It opened my eyes to a lot of things. Certainly not something I’d ever do again."
More than a shoe throw, Wilson's play against Texas A&M and in some other games throughout the year weren't up to the standard he had set while at Florida. That made this day all the more important to Wilson. Without a Senior Bowl invitation or a chance to workout at the NFL Combine, this was going to be his one shot to work out in front of 31 NFL teams. Wilson started the day with solid height and weight measurements, nothing too off from where he was listed and then he got on the bench press. Wilson followed a defensive tackle, T.J. Slaton. That's not an advantageous position to be in, bench pressing right after a defensive tackle who outweighs you by almost 100-pounds. Slaton put up 27 reps at 225 pounds and Wilson, right after him, pushed 225 pounds off of his chest 26 times.
That number would have been the 27th best number, regardless of position, and four more reps than any other cornerback on the roster. For comparison, his former teammate CJ Henderson put up 20 reps at the 2020 NFL Combine.
Then it came time to jump.
To measure a player's vertical jump they stand near a wall or in this case a Vertec, the brand of the instrument used. Wilson walked up to the main Vertec pole and was instructed to raise his right hand up against the pole, a scout then measured where his middle finger reached on the pole and the apparatus was adjusted for his height and reach. Wilson's first jump set a mark, then his second reached over everything. The scouts, confused, made Wilson remeasure. When it was all said and done, Wilson had jumped literally and figuratively off the charts with a 43.5" vertical jump.
Wilson followed that up with two sub 4.4 forty-yard dashes, to put a cherry on top of what was one of the best pro day performances in recent memory.
"Marco’s a guy that always has a great work ethic and acts like a professional in what he does. You saw that today in his time to train he prepared for this moment and he prepared the right way and was ready to go in that moment," Dan Mullen said of Wilson. "You know I’m really happy for him. He got to come out today and turn some heads with some of the numbers he put up today.”
Wilson had a great day but was still asked to reflect on his senior season. Wilson thought about and almost decided to enter the 2020 NFL Draft before ultimately deciding on coming back. He's tried to not think abut the decision and what could have been if he hadn't come back. He would probably have less trolls in his direct messages on social media, would have received less hate following the infamous shoe throw, too.
“I just really learned how a silly mistake could affect me. I mean, I was getting just disgusting messages in my Instagram, stuff like that. Just seeing how quick people can turn on you and how negative they can really be in a tough situation, and how people could really not understand how things may play out in life. But it’s understandable. I learned that lesson. I also learned that the brothers I had on this team they’re really here for me."
It's all part of the growing up process, most of us, however, don't have our worst moments broadcast on national television.
Wednesday back in the indoor practice facility, surrounded by those teammates he says had his back even in his darkest moment, Wilson showed why he will be a NFL player. On the same turf where he would spend 45 minutes to an hour after every practice with Henderson and Kaiir Elam, working after the lights went off on his craft he was able to show off his skill and work ethic. Soon he'll hear his name called and he'll be a professional football player.
"I honestly don’t care about where I get drafted. I just know I need a foot in the door for the NFL," Wilson said. "I know once I get in the NFL I can show the ability I have. I know I can play, I know I can start on an NFL team. I know I can make plays."
