Top Linebackers in NFL Draft: Logan Wilson

Wyoming’s Logan Wilson, who stuffed the stat sheet unlike any linebacker in the nation, is the No. 6 linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Wyoming’s Logan Wilson, who stuffed the stat sheet unlike any linebacker in the nation, is the No. 6 linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft.

According to 247 Sports, Logan Wilson was the 3,208th-ranked recruit as a 195-pound defensive back in Casper, Wyo.

Now, at 241 pounds, he’s one of the best prospects in this year’s linebacker class and almost certainly will be selected by the end of Day 2 of the draft.

“A lot of hard work,” Wilson said at the Scouting Combine. “I worked with a nutritionist and it was a lot of hard work in the weight room. A lot of it’s diet. You’ve got to make sure you’re drinking, adding calories, drinking a lot of protein at night before you go to bed. Most of those nights, I was really, really full going to bed. It was a long, constant process. I played at about 218 my redshirt freshman year and just continued that process.”

Wilson’s routine was eat, eat and eat. It was breakfast followed by a snack, lunch followed by a snack and dinner followed by a snack.

“It was six meals a day, and then you add some protein at night to get that extra caloric intake,” Wilson said.

As a senior, Wilson earned All-American honors and was one of six finalists for the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker. He concluded his career with 421 tackles, which ranks No. 4 in Wyoming history and No. 4 in Mountain West history. He became the fourth player in school history to record three 100-tackle seasons (105 in 2019, 103 in 2018 and 119 in 2017). Among active players, he ranked No. 1 among FBS players in career defensive touchdowns (four), No. 1 in solo tackles (253), No. 2 in tackles and No. 6 in interceptions (10). Moreover, he was a three-year captain.

“It was a lot of work that was put in through the course of my five years in Wyoming,” Wilson said. “I never expected to be in that position but I don’t think it happened by chance. I put my head down and worked, and the results showed.”

At Natrona County High School in Casper, Wilson played receiver, defensive back and punter, earning all-state honors at each spot. Wilson dreamed of playing at Wyoming, and Cowboys coach Craig Bohl gave Wilson his only FBS scholarship offer. Five years later, he became the school’s first All-American since 1997.

With a strong resume, he was invited to the Senior Bowl. The premier all-star game showed that Wilson didn’t just fatten the stats sheet by feasting on cupcakes.

“It was a good opportunity for me to show my talents among the best of the best,” Wilson said. “Coming from Wyoming, a Group of 5 school, we’re not as big of a school as some of those Power 5 schools. It was a great opportunity and I took full advantage of.”

He finished eighth in PFF’s run-stop percentage, which measures impact tackles, and missed 14 tackles (12 percent), according to Sports Info Solutions. At the Combine, Wilson measured 6-foot-2 1/8 and 241 pounds. He ran his 40 in 4.66 and his shuttle in 4.27.

What we like

Yes, it’s lesser competition in the Mountain West Conference. And, yes, Wilson can’t compete athletically with the likes of Isaiah Simmons. But it’s hard to dismiss his four interceptions (most among linebackers) and 11 passes defensed (second among linebackers). “I’m very comfortable playing coverage. My whole life, I was a defensive back. I was playing safety, corner. I think having that background has helped me be more comfortable in coverage. It’s understanding the quarterbacks’ eyes and the routes you’re going to get.” Against the run, he’s got instincts and some pop behind his pads.

What we don’t like

Wilson’s probably not a three-down linebacker, with most of his coverage experience coming in zones. He’ll lose footraces to some of the top tight ends and probably can’t hang with the elite backs out of the backfield. 

Bill Huber’s Linebacker Profiles

No. 1: Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons

No. 2: Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray

No. 3: LSU’s Patrick Queen

No. 4: Wisconsin’s Zack Baun

No. 5: Ohio State’s Malik Harrison

No. 6: Wyoming’s Logan Wilson

No. 7: Appalachian State’s Davis-Gaither

Son of a former Packers coach

Nos. 8-27: Best of the Rest