The Arizona Cardinals are waiving former Florida cornerback Marco Wilson, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Wilson was the fourth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2021, and he managed to hang around with the team for three seasons before he was finally cut loose. He played in 39 games in those three seasons.
The fourth-round pick was productive when he played, tallying 149 tackles, 18 passes defended and three interceptions, with one returned for a touchdown.
All three of Wilson’s interceptions came during the 2022 season.
Marco Wilson was a controversial figure in the 2021 NFL Draft. He posted elite measurables in Florida’s Pro Day workout for scouts, as well as at the NFL Combine.
He posted a 99 athleticism score according to NFL.com, which ranked first among all cornerbacks eligible that draft cycle.
But there were questions about Wilson’s level of focus after an unfortunate on-field incident during a game in his final season at Florida. With the Gators in a tight contest against the LSU Tigers and in position to win, Wilson infamously threw the shoe of an LSU player after a play, drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that extended the LSU drive and ultimately led to the game-winning score.
Wilson was scrutinized heavily on social media for the shoe toss.
Still, he’s got those elite measurables that could help him land on another NFL team in short order. Coming out of college, the following scouting report was provided on Marco Wilson by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.
“Ingredients like size, speed, strength and athleticism are all present, but Wilson hasn’t been able to combine them and make a meal since early in his career. He clearly has the athletic talent and skill set to be a much better man defender than he showed in 2020. His size and strength are big advantages when it’s time to play the 50-50 balls, but he needs to do a more consistent job of crowding his targets and maintaining his positioning through the rep.
“There are times when the coverage pursuit simply looks too lackadaisical and not consistently competitive from game to game. Wilson’s run-support effort needs a lot of work, as teams will find and exploit it if he is on the field. He has the traits and athleticism of a Day 2 starter, but with the tape of a Day 3 backup with inside/outside versatility.”
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