New England Patriots Select Tavon Wilson, CB/S, Illinois 2012 NFL Draft Grade

With the 48th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots have selected Tavon Wilson, CB/S, Illinois

Here is our report on Wilson:

Wilson doubles as a cornerback and strong safety, and is one of the most versatile players in the Illinois secondary. He became a full-time starter in 2009 when he had 74 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, seven passes broken up and an interception, and he followed it up in 2010 with 48 tackles and another interception. As was mentioned before, Wilson has an excellent combination of size and speed, and has been timed in the high 4.3 range. Known as a leader on the field and in the weight room. Coach Ron Zook had great things to say about Wilson as he transitioned from CB to S due to a rash of injuries in the defensive backfield:

“He was not fired up about it,” coach Ron Zook said. “If you ask him, he probably didn’t like it. But he’s a team guy, he’s a winner. He said, `I’ll do whatever I have to for this team.’”

Wilson had a lot of success with the move to safety, as he led the Illini in passes broken up and passes defensed last year. He should have an NFL future either at CB, S, or as a special teams ace or nickel/dime defensive back.

Pick Grade: C

This is a weird pick because I barely had a fifth round grade on Wilson, but the Patriots love versatility and when they set their sights on a guy, they are not afraid to go and get him. Hopefully he can contribute as a rookie for them.