Nov 9, 2013; College Station, TX, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver De’Runnya Wilson (81) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second quarter at Kyle Field. Photo Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports
When basketball standout Antonio Gates signed with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent from Kent State in 2003, it could be debated that the trend of turning good hoops players into football standouts truly began.
Sure, college football coaches have transformed talented basketball stars into quality gridiron prospects for years, but the trend seems to be gaining more traction as football evolves into more of an offensive game (see New Orleans Saints All-Pro Jimmy Graham).
Last season when Mississippi State signed 6-foot-5, 215-pound De’Runnya Wilson, it nabbed a player who, like Gates, was known primarily as a standout basketball prospect. Wilson was the state of Alabama’s Mr. Basketball at Wenonah High School (Birmingham) and chose the Bulldogs over Auburn late in the recruiting process after a big senior season in football following a two-year hiatus. Although it seemed like a low-key addition to a solid recruiting class at the time, Wilson’s signing turned out to be a huge (literally and figuratively) get for Dan Mullen and the MSU program.
As a true freshman, Wilson caught 26 passes for 351 yards and three touchdowns. His biggest game came against Texas A&M when he hauled in a career-high seven catches for 75 yards and two scores. It was the first time since 2012 (Chad Bumphis) that a State player had at least two TD grabs in a game.
“De’Runnya was Mr. Alabama Basketball in high school,” Mullen said. “He was obviously a kid that played outside a lot when he was growing up. He has tremendous ball skills, naturally catches the ball and he has great leaping ability.
“He only played two years of high school football, so here is a guy that is really starting to understand the game. He played on the basketball team for us at Mississippi State last year, but now I think he knows what to expect from college football.”
With the size, speed and ball skills Wilson brings to the table, he’ll combine with senior standouts Jameon Lewis and Robert Johnson to give Mississippi State one of the more talented wide receiving corps in the SEC. And although Wilson may be flying under the radar as a potential All-SEC-type player entering the season, his head coach thinks his best football is ahead of him.
“He’s 6-foot-5, has good body control and he does make for a tough matchup. He was a true freshman last year, not being a long-time football player, kind of really just starting to get his feet wet. Now he’s out there understanding the game, understanding coverages, understanding how to get open and do different things. I think the sky’s the limit for him as a player because he has so much natural ability that when he really focuses on becoming a great football player and doing what he needs to do, the sky’s going to be the limit.”
Stay tuned. But with quarterback Dak Prescott throwing him the rock, watch for Wilson to emerge as a major force in the SEC in his second season as a collegiate football player.
