“Everybody knows I fell down in the draft because of injuries, but I think I was one of the best players in that draft class,” Wilson said. “I've always been driven. I want to be the best player in the world one day. That's my goal. I work hard every day to get there.”
“I was always seen as the underdog, so I just wanted to be the best and try to prove to people that I was the best. I was trying to prove it to people and to myself.”
There's only one way he knows how to prove it: by preparing and using his natural abilities.
“When you step on the field, you want to know what's going on,” Wilson said. “I grew up watching Luke Kuechly and how he prepared for the game. I want to have a career like his, knowing what's going on literally every play of the game. I loved how bold he was. He loved the game, he played with passion. And his intelligence, his football IQ, was just incredible. You always want to be the smartest player on the field. That's what I strive to do, and when I play with Coach Curry, Patrick Queen, Cole Holcomb and all the great NFL linebackers, I'm just going to keep working on every part of my game, improving my football IQ and using my instincts.”
And it's that instinct that got him to where he is today. Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher, who also played at NC State, praised Wilson's instincts.
“Just go out there and play yourself. Play with confidence. Play quick, play fast. Play physical,” Cowher said. “Be the same player you were the last two years, it's just a different level. The preparation is a little different, it's a little more intense. It's a more complicated game at the next level, but it's still football. It's still important to have good instincts and good instincts. He's going to trust his skill and his instincts and his skill set more than he trusts himself. Don't overthink it.”
Wilson plans to use those instincts from the get-go.
“I think that's my biggest trait, my instincts,” Wilson said. “Where I grew up in the country, you had to make do with what you had at hand. You saw the ball and you got the ball a lot. I think that's really where my instincts come from. I've put in a lot of hard work as well as my football IQ, so I think it's a great combination. I think my instincts have really blossomed over the last few years. That's one of my best traits.”
