Marvin Wilson Scouting Report
After deciding against entering the 2020 NFL Draft, Wilson will likely be taken taken on day two in 2021. A divisive prospect, dive into the Marvin Wilson scouting report below.
School: Florida State / Position: DL / Height: 6’3” / Weight: 319 / Class: Sr.
Games Watched: Miami (2020), Georgia Tech (2020), Louisville (2019), North Carolina (2020)
Pass Rush:
As is the case with almost all facets of Wilson’s game, he was a much better pass rusher in 2019 then he was in 2020. In the 2019 film, he displays the ability to be an impact player as a pass rusher. Effortlessly executes pass rush moves and even has counters for many moves. Has the juice and surprising athleticism to function as well as a 3T on any defense. All of this makes it even more surprising how poor his 2020 season went. After recording five sacks in his Junior year, he posted just one sack and ten pressures in his senior year. A strange and sudden regression in this area.
Run Defense:
A player who has always had struggles in run defense, this area also got worse in 2020. Many of his struggles in this area can be attributed to two things. The first being his strange build as he is a very top heavy athlete giving him balance issues. These balance issues make it hard for him to consistently anchor down in the run game. The second hindrance is his effort. In 2019 his effort was noticeably higher on a snap-to-snap basis than it was in 2020. NFL teams will certainly have questions about why his effort so clearly was not there in his final season.
Athleticism:
Despite being 319 pounds, Marvin Wilson is actually a very functional and good athlete. He moves very quickly when he chooses too and consistently surprises offensive lineman. Perfectly executed a swim move against then forced Sam Howell off of his spot in a play that clearly shocked both the guard and quarterback. These athletic gifts are what made Wilson such a highly touted high school recruit.
Strength:
Wilson is a player whose strength can be split into two different facets. He clearly has good upper body strength as when he chooses to use a bull rush he moves players effortlessly. However, in his lower half, he is simply too slightly built to generate the strength you would like to see, specifically in the running game.
Burst:
Very poor burst out of his stance. It is fair to question how much of this is also effort related but he is simply too slow out of his stance to become a quality NFL player at this moment. Will need to be much better in this aspect or the high end interior players at the next level will eat him up.
Anchor:
Very much struggles in this aspect as mentioned earlier. Is simply not built for this aspect of the position and as such will likely always struggle with it. Due to this will always be better suited at 3T as opposed to a 1T or 0T.
Hand Usage:
Has tremendous hand usage when he decides to use it. Can effortlessly string together pass rush moves including swim moves, cross arm chops and bull rush moves all due to his quick and violent hands. In the run game has hands like vise grips allowing him to simply move most offensive lineman in front of him. Is truly advanced in this area as a prospect.
Motor:
If we are judging solely based off of the 2020 season, then Marvin Wilson has no motor. He consistently was uninvolved in plays and generally playing as if he did not care. In 2019 however, he was firing on all cylinders and made an impact on almost every snap. A very strange and sudden decline, NFL teams will have to do their research on why this happened.
Gap Control:
Struggles in this area as he does not have the ability to consistently anchor down in the run game. This is going to become a problem in the NFL as he wont be the best player on his defensive line and teams will target him in this aspect. Will have to become better here or at least return to the form he showed in 2019.
Pursuit:
Again, this all goes back to effort. When Wilson chooses too he can be a menace chasing QB’s in the backfield. These reps were way too spread out in 2020 for a player who is supposed to excel as a pass rusher. In previous seasons he was incredible in this area so it is good to know that the possibility exists.
Assessment:
One of the strangest evaluations in the 2021 class, Marvin Wilson is truly a tale of two seasons. In 2019 Wilson was a dominant force along the Florida State defensive line. He displayed tremendous ability as a pass rusher showcasing great ability with his hands to string rush moves together as well as giving high effort as a run defender. Despite being talked about by some as a potential first round pick, Wilson decided to return to FSU for his senior season and subsequently tanked his draft stock. Gone were the pass rush dominance and high effort plays in the run game and they were replaced by a measly ten pressures throughout 2020 and an unwillingness to participate in the run game. Marvin Wilson clearly possesses vast amounts of natural ability and can be an impact player in the NFL if he chooses to be. For a team that runs an even front and is searching for a developmental 3T, Wilson is a worthy flier. A true boom or bust style of player, you could get a long term starter or a player who is not worthy of a roster spot.
Grade: Third Round
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