Spotlight: David Wilson

"It’s really no pressure; I want to be that spark," Wilson said. "It’s a drive in me. I like making big plays. At the same time, my team needs it. When somebody on offense makes a big play, the whole sideline gets electrified."

David Wilson finished the 2011 season with 1,709 rushing yards, fifth in the nation. He fell short of the ACC’s single-season record for rushing yards, which Virginia's Thomas Jones set with 1,798 in 1999. But it was a school record, and he became just the third player in ACC history to finish a season with more than 1,700 yards. The 5'10", 205 lb. junior ran for 100 or more yards in all but two of the Hokies' twelve regular-season games, tying an ACC record last established by Ryan Williams, then a freshman, in 2009. He finished No. 7 in the country and led the ACC in rushing yards per game at 125.15, and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. He had nine rushing touchdowns and was second in the ACC in all-purpose yards with 163.8 per game, for a total of 2,253 yards. He also caught 21 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown.

In November, Wilson was named the ACC Offensive and Overall Player of the Year. He immediately follows a former teammate, quarterback Tyrod Taylor, in winning the award. Virginia Tech is the first program to produce consecutive Players of the Year since Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward was honored in 1992 and 1993. It’s the fifth time that different players from the same school have won in consecutive years; that happened most recently with the selections of Virginia QBs Shawn Moore (1990) and Matt Blundin (1991).

He was a durable back who proved last year that he could carry the full workload, and his athleticism and explosiveness made him an exciting player to watch.

Update:
While there's debate about how high Wilson would be selected should he go pro - ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has him as the 26th-ranked prospect, while Mel Kiper Jr. doesn't have Wilson in his top 25 - there's universal agreement that he'd wow scouts, coaches and general managers at the NFL Scouting Combine given the opportunity.

He could legitimize his 4.29-second 40-yard dash time.

He could show off his 40 1/2-inch vertical leap.

He could dominate the broad jump because, as he reasoned, it's not much different from the triple jump, an event he earned All-America honors in last spring by finishing sixth in the NCAA track and field championships.

More information:
» Oct 26: "Is David Wilson having a Heisman-worthy season?"
» Nov 14: "Turning Into A Record-Setting Duo"
» Nov 30: David Wilson is ACC Offensive and Overall Player of the Year