Zech McPhearson Could be Answer to CB2 Question

“If you look around the league, every corner is different,” Wilson said. “You have guys who have been here, guys who are small, guys who are more explosive out of their break. What we’re trying to do now, especially this offseason, we worked on technique and fundamentals.

“We worked on just the nuances of the game, understanding where you’re supposed to be, leverage, understanding break points, understanding stems. Whoever comes in and puts it all together, because it’s open competition, that’s who you’re going to see out there on Sundays.”

Wilson wasn’t at the Hula Bowl to see McPhearson, but he watched some of his game tapes and didn’t realize it at the time, but he had played with Gerrick McPhearson, an older brother to Zech while playing at the University of Maryland.

“He was actually a couple of years younger when I was at the University of Maryland, so he was in our DB group,” said Wilson about Gerrick. At the time we had a very good secondary. He didn’t play a lot then, but he was one of those young guys that went under our wing and help him exceed expectations and reach his potential.”

Gerrick was drafted in the seventh round by the Giants in 2006. Before he left for the NFL, though, Wilson remembered seeing Zech running around the field at Byrd Stadium as a kid.

Still, the DB coach didn’t put two and two together.

“When I first started looking at him (on film), I didn’t realize the connection,” said Wilson. “I didn’t realize that he was the younger brother of a guy that I played with. But when I watched him, they had very similar styles of play.”

And one of the hallmarks of that style, Wilson said, is resiliency.

“If he gave up a play, he came back and he battled,” he said.

His toughness also stood out, especially in McPhearson’s willingness to tackle.

“You could tell he dedicated himself to it, and he worked on it,” Wilson said. “And obviously, you can see the top-end speed and the explosiveness. The guy, he’s young, he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know right now, but he’s willing to work.

“And right now, just coming off this offseason, he’s a guy that wants to know the ins and outs, the whys, and where does he fit in the puzzle and the scheme. He’s trying to put it all together, and if he can master it fast, it gives him a great opportunity to play.”

Perhaps even be cornerback number two behind Slay.