IDL, Florida State
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 311 lbs
Class: Senior
With the college season now upon us, here is my scouting report on one of the more exciting prospects to watch in 2020. Marvin Wilson is entering the season as my No. 1 interior defensive lineman and his combination of pass-rushing talent and stoutness against the run are sure to see him drafted highly come April.
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Strengths
Wilson’s biggest strength is his ability to be an effective pass-rusher from the interior. Over the past two seasons he has posted 60 total pressures, including eight sacks, and has recorded back-to-back 80+ PFF pass-rushing grades. Prior to his injury in 2019, Wilson was winning on 16.5 per cent of his pass-rushing snaps. This wasn’t far behind 2020 first rounder Javon Kinlaw, at 18.8 per cent.
Wilson has all of the physical tools to be a great interior player in the NFL, with a good selection of pass-rushing moves. His club/swim combo is particularly effective and he is always able to vary things up. He plays with a consistently high motor and won’t resign himself to defeat if his initial approach fails.
He has excellent upper body strength and surprisingly good balance given his size. Double teams didn’t seem to phase him and he consistently demonstrated great hand strength to get off blocks. Whilst his main strength is his pass-rushing ability, he is also solid against the run, with 48 run-stops over the past two years.
Weaknesses
The concern with Wilson is his lack of athleticism and how this will translate to the NFL. He doesn’t have great burst and his first step leaves a lot to be desired. Whilst he has been a really effective pass-rusher in college there will be questions about how well he can perform in this role in the NFL.
He doesn’t stay consistently low to the ground and loses leverage to offensive linemen as a result. Prior to his hand injury last season his productivity tailed off significantly. After racking up 20 pressures in his first four games, he managed just six over the next five. In 2020 he will need to prove that he can handle a full season’s workload and be consistently disruptive throughout the season to be considered a top prospect.
Bottom Line
Wilson is an excellent player who has been really productive as a pass-rusher and a run-defender in college. He looks like a plug-and-play starter in the NFL, but there will be question about his ceiling as a pass-rusher at the next level.
