Rudnicki's Thoughts

While in high school in Tennessee, Al Wilson played both LB and RB in addition to playing basketball and track. His senior season he recorded 163 tackles at LB and also produced 1160 yards and 15 TDs at RB. After enrolling at the University of Tennessee, he emerged as a starter at SLB during his sophomore season, and by his junior season he was responsible for calling the defensive signals. During his senior season, he was moved to MLB, named a team captain, and helped lead the Vols to a 13-0 national championship season. His performance that season garnered him All-SEC honors and he was named to All-American 2nd team. His strong play helped push him up into the 1st round of the NFL draft, where he was selected with the 31st pick overall by the 2-time Super Bowl champion Broncos. The only 2 LBs to go ahead of him that year where Chris Claiborne of USC (#9 to the Lions) and Andy Katzenmoyer of Ohio State (#28 to the Patriots). Wilson contributed right away during his rookie season, starting 12 games and finishing 3rd on the team in tackles. In his best game that year, which came against the hated Raiders, he put up 8 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF, and 1 PD. By the time his second year came around, Wilson had already solidified his grip on the starting MLB job and he began to display his big play ability with 5 sacks and 3 INTs. His most memorable performance came against the Rams in the season opener, when he intercepted a pass at the Broncos 7-yard line, and then caught another one in the 4th quarter in the end zone thanks to perfect coverage on Marshall Faulk. Any LB that could stay stride for stride with Marshall Faulk in 2000 has to be extremely fast. Over the past 3 seasons, Wilson has averaged 81 solo tackles, 21 assists, and 3 sacks, but he finished as a top-10 fantasy LB in 2002 with 100 solo tackles and 5 sacks. He was named to the Pro Bowl in both 2001 and 2002.

Al Wilson is one of the best young MLBs in the game. Even though he doesn't get as much hype as some of his peers, he is just as important to his team as they are to theirs. Wilson is the leader of a Broncos defense that finished 2003 as the #3 ranked defense in terms of yardage allowed, despite losing many players to injury all around him. He was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason but the Broncos prevented that by locking him up to a 7 year, $42 million dollar extension with a $10 million signing bonus. Wilson is a fast, athletic, intimidating presence at LB who can contribute in coverage as well as blitzing the QB. Defensive Coordinator Larry Coyer's scheme relies heavily on fast, aggressive LBs that can fly to the ball and Wilson should be the focal point of this defense for years to come. His numbers took a dip last year compared to his huge 2002 season, but part of the reason for that was all the injuries taking place around him as his teammates Mobley and Ian Gold both ended up missing most of the season. This year, the Broncos have drafted DJ Williams to replace Gold at WLB, and have also made some big additions in the secondary with Champ Bailey and John Lynch. The addition of Bailey should help Wilson and the rest of the front 7 get more pressure on opposing QBs, but it may also result in John Lynch working as an extra LB at times and stealing some tackle opportunities from Wilson.

Positives

• One of the best overall MLBs in the game - fast, aggressive, hard hitting LB who can make plays from sideline to sideline, is great at timing his blitzes, and can cover as well as anybody not named Urlacher or Ray Lewis.



• Just turned 27 years old this summer and should be entering the prime of his playing career.



• Despite significant improvements made to the defense, the Broncos offense has a lot of question marks this season due primarily to the trade of Clinton Portis and retirement of Shannon Sharpe. The Broncos strong defensive ranking last year was due in part to the ability of the offense to sustain long drives. Without that consistency, the Broncos defense figures to see a lot more plays this season, which could result in much bigger numbers for Wilson.



• He's proven to be very durable and also showed a willingness to play through injuries, with only 1 missed game and 73 starts over his 5 year career.
  

Negatives

• Despite being one of the best LBs in the game, he really has only had 1 monster fantasy season. For some reason whether it's the system or the players around him, he hasn't been able to consistently put up big fantasy numbers like some of the other elite LBs in the game.



• DJ Williams is an athletic phenom, but he lacks great LB instincts and is still learning the position after being converted from RB. Inexperience and inconsistency on his part could force Wilson to play more disciplined, and limit some of his aggressiveness. Additionally, Wilson may be asked to drop back into coverage more offense because of his expertise in that area, but moving him away from the line of scrimmage would likely have a negative effect on his tackle numbers.



• The Broncos have a potential weakness at DT, where they have some solid but unspectacular players. Those players will need to do well in order to keep Wilson free of blockers so that he can be most effective. If they struggle, chances are that Wilson's numbers may struggle as well.

Final Thoughts

Was 2002 an aberration or a sign of Wilson's true potential? Most of his other numbers have been relatively consistent throughout his short career, but in 2002 he put up almost 30 more solo tackles than he had in any other season and nearly doubled the number of assists as well. One possible explanation for the discrepancy is the fact the Broncos had a new DC last year and it may be that the new scheme did not put him in enough positions to make plays. However, a closer look at his numbers indicates that he had 48 solo tackles after the first 8 games of the season, which meant he was nearly on pace for a back-to-back 100 solo tackle season. Thus, a more likely scenario for his drop in production was the fact that he was banged up with some injuries last year combined with the fact that he had 2 very inexperienced players surrounding him at OLB. The Broncos feel that they've adequately addressed the OLB spot by adding DJ Williams and moving Terry Pierce to the outside. If they are correct, a healthy Al Wilson should be able to produce top-20 LB numbers with the potential to do even better.

Magaw's Thoughts

Welcome to Al Wilson's world. A world of pain. A world of tackle-induced blackouts and knockouts. A remorseless and pitiless world... and that is just the pre-game breakfast. If we are sometimes shaped by our influences (and in turn influences reveal aspects of our nature and character), Wilson has chosen some very representative and suggestive mentors from myriad NFL LB's from the past. He patterned himself after the archetypal ferocity of Dick Butkus and the preternatural intensity of Mike Singletary. Butkus' mouth frothing, near-maniacal, pathological levels of enthusiasm for punishing ball carriers and offensive players in general (from the Deacon Jones school) made him a human blunt force trauma engine. Singletary was famous for breaking 16 of HIS OWN helmets, presumably against other player's (soon-to-be-in-agonizing pain) bodies, during a bone-jarring career at Baylor. Besides being famous for his "I like this kind of party!" exchange captured by NFL films, spearheading a Super Bowl win as one of the most integral components of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history, and participating in some pretty wack music videos, he will always be associated with his vigilant and almost unnaturally widened-EYES. That and the constant throughout his career of his arriving at the correct hole or seam ahead of the ball carrier with seemingly telepathic instincts for which direction the play and ballcarrier was headed. In an interview, Wilson once characterized what it is like, and the kind of traits it takes to be an NFL MLB... "You can't be scared to stick your nose in there and get dirty. You can't be afraid to get a few headaches every now and then or experience a few blackouts. That's all part of being a middle linebacker."

He started for three years at Tennessee, capping a distinguished collegiate career with a stellar senior season. As team captain and MLB, he helped lead the '98 Volunteers to a perfect 13-0 record on their way to a National Championship... he played OLB his sophomore & junior years. Before that, he was an all-state two-way star at LB and rushed for over 1,000 yards three times, twice as a RB and once as a QB (partially explaining his great wheels) as a Tennessee prep. After his stellar career at Tennessee University, Wilson wasted little time not only becoming a leader and one of the top players on the Denver defense, but quickly established himself as one of the toughest and most talented LB's in the league. He hit the ground running his rookie season in '99 (the 31st overall pick in the first round), starting 12 games, and was inserted into the lineup as MLB in week 3 of that season. He has been there ever since. During the 2000 season, he demonstrated a penchant for getting to the QB, a rare talent for a MLB/ILB. It is even rarer for them to get the opportunity, but Wilson got 5 sacks (a feat he soon duplicated in the '02 season) in that year, one of only a small handful of inside linebackers in the NFL to rack up as many. Wilson had a nice ascent from 61 tackles in 2000, up to 85 tackles in '01, the first year he was selected to represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl, after which he had his real breakout season with 132 tackles (103 solos and 29 assists) in '02, and was chosen to the Pro Bowl for his second consecutive season. Last season saw a 44 tackle regression, but there were some mitigating factors that will be expanded on below.

Positives

• Has great speed & tremendous athleticism for the MLB position, he was a former QB and RB in the prep ranks. Moves like a smaller man, a playmaker who routinely puts himself in position to get in front of and into the thick of the action, and he packs a wallop once he gets there.



• Solid open field tackler, breaks down in space, good form, wraps up and finishes the deal. When he gets his paws on the ball carrier, they generally go down. Takes good angles to get to the ball, is a natural at sifting through traffic, and has the strength, experience, technique and hand skills to brutally but economically dispatch blockers.



• High intensity dude, he really sets the tone for the Denver defense. A powerhouse with more energy than a typical nuclear submarine... they pack him in graphite rods before the game so there isn't a meltdown. Plays more under control (as much as is possible while he runs around like a man with his hair on fire) than when he first came up, doesn't jump over people as much as he used to. Despite being only 27, he is a grizzled veteran and superb leader for the Broncos defense. He just got resigned to a long-term contract in the offseason, too, and should be around for a while.

Negatives

• Slightly undersized (6'0" 240) relative to the size for the classical, prototypical MLB.



• Relentless in chasing down plays from sideline-to-sideline and all over the field, he is sometimes prone to over-pursue, and like Junior Seau, over-aggressiveness can cause him to free lance, get out of position, and compromise team defense, leaving it vulnerable to getting gashed by misdirection plays.



• Coming off a down year, he is not flanked by his usual LB cohorts anymore. Entering the '03 season, Wilson, John Mobley and Ian Gold comprised possibly the fastest (both Mobley and Gold could reportedly run the 40 in a WR/CB-like 4.4) and most athletic set of LB's in the NFL. There could be some lack of familiarity and adjustment as he gets used to having the freakishly talented but raw D.J. Williams (the highly coveted rookie WLB from Miami, prize of the recent draft), manning Gold's former role, and whoever emerges from the proverbial cast of thousands at SLB (Jashon Sykes, Donnie Spragan or Terry Pierce, thought to be the heir-apparent to Wilson's MLB spot, now 20 lbs lighter) to replace Mobley.

Final Thoughts

The up and coming WLB Gold (whose talent pushed Mobley to SLB) only made it through five games before going on IR with a knee injury that required an ACL reconstruction. In the offseason, the Broncos front office and his representation were not able to bridge their differences over his post-knee injury worth, and Denver didn't think they could afford big bonus, long-term extensions for Wilson and Gold, so he signed on to play SLB for the Bucs. Longtime Denver LB stalwart John Mobley lasted just three games longer (lost in game 8 against BAL), and his career is very much in doubt with a slow to heal, deep and severe cervical spinal cord bruise. Despite the rash of injuries suffered by Denver's LB corps, they still managed to finish #4 in total defense, allowing 277 YPG and 18.8 points per game. That all came to naught when they encountered their playoff Little Big Horn, and were massacred by the Colts by a 31 point margin of victory. Peyton Manning threw for 5 TDs in one of the few "perfect" games in NFL playoff history (158.3 passer rating). The Broncos were #12 against the pass, but could well improve on that with the exciting addition of elite shutdown cover CB Champ Bailey to the secondary mix, coming over in a rare star-for-star trade. Champ was expensive, with a price tag of emergent superstar RB Clinton Portis (Denver shrewdly insisted on the inclusion of Washington's second rounder, the relatively high 2.09, which they subsequently parlayed into Portis' eventual successor, Tatum Bell; Bell could be even faster than his predecessor, with a similar skill set, talent and upside). But HC Shanahan has proven to have a Midas' touch when it comes to plugging in various RBs that invariably put up 1,000+ yards, while repeated attempts burning high picks to find CB help (see recent first rounders Deltha O'Neal, since traded to the Bengals to move up in this years draft to secure the rights to D.J. Williams, and Willie Middlebrooks) have yielded only spectacular flameouts and colossal busts. And they did get systematically picked apart by Indianapolis in the playoffs, even with Portis. Bailey is the kind of rare coverage talent with the Deion-like ability to shut down one side of the field, and make everybody else on the defense better.

This could help ease the transition while Wilson breaks in his new running mates. Depending on who settles in at SLB (the Broncos would probably like '03 second rounder Pierce to eventually win the job), Denver could once again sport some formidable athleticism from the LB position by adding Williams into the fold. He was the former #1 recruited high school player in the nation (two-way star FB/LB from perennial power Concord De La Salle, CA), possessing the requisite speed and agility to play fullback his first season at Miami. While some scouts feel he may not have the instincts, football smarts and off-the-charts intangibles of his equally highly regarded Miami teammate and LB Jonathan Vilma, who should be a linchpin player the Jets can build their defense around for years, he has an extremely high upside and ceiling, and should be a force to be reckoned with in the near future. Williams is about as fast as Gold, who was listed at close to 220 lbs, yet tips the scales at over 250 lbs. With the potential to be equally adept at blitzing or dropping into coverage, this should free up Wilson to do what he does best, patrolling the middle of the field and exploding into unsuspecting perimeter ball carriers with the range, accuracy and striking power of a Tomahawk Cruise Missile. If this scenario plays out, and the additions of Bailey and Williams help elevate the defense to a level more consonant with their formidable offense, the Bronco's could find themselves in a position to do better and go further in the playoffs this time around. A "skeleton key" to Denver's success could revolve around their O-Line's ability to keep QB Jake "The Snake" Plummer on his feet. His health during the regular season could be like an axis that the team's collective fortunes swirls around... they were 1-4 without him, but 9-2 with him in the lineup.

Quotes from the IDP Spotlight Message Thread:

To view the entire thread, click here: LB Al Wilson, Denver Broncos

grady:
"Al Wilson had an off year last year. I attribute this to the plethora of injuries that were experienced on the Bronco defense last year. He had to compensate for a lot when they were using their 4th and 5th string linebackers later on in the year, which is precisely when his tackle numbers tailed off. He moves back into the top #15 LBs this year."

Outside Contain:
"So I hear Mobley "might sit this year out" due to his neck injury. Wilson will suffer if Mobley doesn't play. I expect a not so great season for Wilson. Decent but not great. The knock on Wilson after losing his compadres is that more inexperienced LBs will be tested by the opposition by running plays at them and trying to block Wilson can be a focus in the opponents running game (think Urlacher)."

Biabreakable:
"D.J. Williams will play right away and he will be a factor but I expect he will make rookie mistakes. I am seeing Wilson having to clean up and make tackles more in 2004 than he did last year."

Projections

IDP Scoring System
1 pt per Solo Tackle
0.5 pt per Assisted Tackle
3 pts per Sack
4 pts per Interception
1 pt per Pass Defensed
2 pts per Forced Fumble
2 pts per Fumble Recovery