Former NC State offensive lineman, Derek Morris, has already signed free agent contracts with two different NFL clubs since going undrafted in the NFL draft last month. Morris was awarded to the Arizona Cardinals off of waivers after being cut by the Kansas City Chiefs. Morris signed with Ohio State out of high school before transferring to NC State in the middle of NCAA smoke that seems to constantly surround Ohio State’s program.
Despite Morris’ problems with the mental aspect of the game, some contend that his 6-foot-5, 332-pound frame would have been a welcome component of this year’s NC State offensive line. As a quote from the aforelinked article says:
“While most scouting reports questioned why he didn’t stick around for another year of college maturation, Morris is massive. “
Former Wolfpackers LaMont Reid and Adrian Wilson are both current members of the Arizona Cardinals. Just this week Wilson was featured in this great story at CBS Sportsline as a “steller safety”. (See, not everybody at CBS is as bad as Gregg Doyel – Link#1 ; Link#2)
In 2005, he had more sacks (eight) in a season than any other defensive back in history, or at least since the league made the sack an official statistic in 1982.
Adrian Wilson knows he’ll get his due when the Cardinals start winning. He is a dominant force on a top-10 defense, a player who has the speed to play in coverage and the ability to attack the quarterback and lay out a runner with a big hit. At 6-3, 230, he has linebacker size and corner speed.
So why is it that outside of the Phoenix area, one would be hard pressed to find many football fans who know the name of Arizona Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson?…
…Wilson is the best player in the league that most don’t know about.
Mention the safety position in the NFL and Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, Brian Dawkins and Roy Williams are often mentioned as the game’s best. Believe this: Adrian Wilson is right at the top with all of them — and he’s better than Williams, who benefits from a big hit or two and by the fact he plays on a team with a star on the side of its helmet.
Wilson’s eight sacks tied him for 24th in the league last year with defensive ends Terrell Suggs of the Ravens, linebacker DeMarcus Ware of the Cowboys and defensive end Greg Ellis of the Cowboys. The mark also led the Cardinals. He had more sacks than noted specialists such as the Jevon Kearse of the Eagles and Mike Rucker of the Panthers, who each had 7½ in 2005.
(See how easy it is to talk about Arizona and not reference Herb Sendek?)
