The second-year cornerback has been one of the few positives in what’s been a horrendous season for the Arizona Cardinals.
Heading into the current campaign, the only known commodity that the Arizona Cardinals had at the cornerback position was Byron Murphy. The club’s second-round draft pick in 2019 was the closest thing to a number-one cover guy that the Cards possessed since the departure of the great Patrick Peterson in 2021.
Over the past several months, second-year player Marco Wilson has transformed into another effective corner for the Redbirds. Following an up and down performance as a rookie last year, the 23-year-old Wilson took a big step forward for coordinator Vance Joseph’s defense this fall.
At the moment, the 5 foot 11,187 pounder is the only accomplished cornerback that the Cardinals have under contract in 2023. Both Murphy and veteran Antonio Hamilton are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents, and there’s no guarantee that either will return to the team. If that scenario occurs, would Wilson be able to handle the responsibility of being Arizona’s top cover guy?
Wilson’s numbers from this season could indicate that he may be ready for such a massive promotion. In his 14 appearances (13 starts), the former fourth-round choice has racked up 58 tackles, 10 passes defensed and three interceptions that can best be described as memorable.
Marco Wilson made memorable plays for Arizona Cardinals in 2022
Back in Week 7, Wilson hauled in an errant pass from New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown. The theft gave “Big Red” a 20-14, second-quarter lead that the squad would never relinquish.
As outstanding as that play was, it may not have been the highlight of Wilson’s impressive campaign. On Christmas night, the former University of Florida product picked off the magnificent Tom Brady not once, but twice. Accomplishing such a feat against the greatest signal-caller of all time is something that Wilson can one day tell his grandkids about.
It appears that the Cards got quite a bargain when they landed the Florida native with the 136th-overall selection of the ’21 draft. Wilson is certainly trending upwards, and a Pro Bowl invitation or two could be coming for the youngster in the near future.
(Statistics provided by Pro Football Reference)
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