Marvin Wilson could end up being drafted higher than Derrick Brown by the time the 2021 NFL Draft rolls around. Here is his scouting report.
With this year’s draft now behind us, it’s time to shift our focus to the talent that will be available in the 2021 NFL Draft class. While we still have a whole other season of game tape still to come from these prospects, it’s always fun to get a head start on highlighting who to keep an eye out for when we do finally kick things off in 2020.
We all already know the household names like Clemson superstar, Trevor Lawrence, and Ohio State’s Justin Fields but one potential top-10 pick in next year’s class that I want to take a deeper look at is Florida State defensive tackle, Marvin Wilson.
Wilson was a big-time recruit coming out of the state of Texas and has spent his time at FSU absolutely punishing anybody that lines up in front of him. In his last 19 games, Wilson has notched 8.5 sacks and before injuring his hand against Miami and missing the final four games of 2019, Wilson had racked up 24 pressures in just nine contests.
His ability to create penetration from inside as a 6-foot-5, 300+-pound nose tackle is invaluable at the next level, which is why I believe he will be a top-10 lock by the time his senior season is over.
That being said, let’s take a deeper look at what Marvin Wilson brings to the table as a 2021 NFL Draft prospect, as well as what he could stand to improve upon by the end of 2020. Here are his strengths and weaknesses.
Marvin Wilson is one of those guys that immediately passes the eye test. He is just a massive football player and the athleticism he pairs with that imposing frame is truly eye-popping. He’s worked hard over his three seasons at FSU to ensure he goes into each year in better shape than he was before and that dedication to improvement is also evident in his skill-set on the field.
Wilson is extremely powerful and has surprising lateral agility for a guy of his stature. His hands are weapons, as he uses his huge mitts to disrupt opposing offenses in any way he can. Whether it’s with his punch-pull move, which he loves, or simply getting into the chest of quarterbacks and getting his hands up to deflect passes (had four deflections in 2019).
While his ability to disrupt the passer is arguably his greatest strength, Wilson is stout against the run as well. He seldom gets pushed out of his gaps and his constant motor provides some “wow” effort plays as well. That blend of skill against both the run and the pass is what makes him such a valuable commodity as a 2021 NFL Draft prospect.
Marvin Wilson checks just about every box you could want when scouting interior defensive lineman but no prospect is perfect, as there are certain parts of his game he could stand to improve in 2020.
While Marvin Wilson’s strengths far outweigh his weaknesses, there are some details to his game I would like to see cleaned up a little bit this season.
As I alluded to before, Wilson has a relentless motor, which is a great attribute to have but that can sometimes get him into trouble. On long, sustained drives from opposing offenses, there were times the last couple of seasons where Wilson looked gassed and that effort we are so used to seeing just wasn’t there. I would like to see him play with a little more control in 2020 to ensure he can conserve that energy throughout and eliminate that problem.
One other area I would like to see Wilson clean up a bit this season is his processing, specifically against the run. While he is a very good run-defender, Wilson can be guilty of being late with his eyes and by the time he is done beating his man at the line, the running back has already hit his lane and run passed him. If he can focus on maintaining his eye-discipline in his final season, I have no doubt Wilson will finish the season as the unanimous DT1 for the 2021 NFL Draft class.
There is just so much to like about what Marvin Wilson brings to the table as a prospect and he could fit into any defensive scheme at the next level. Expect Wilson to be a popular name throughout this season and the ensuing 2021 NFL Draft process.