Q&A: Rivals250 CB Marquis Wilson
Penn State added four-star cornerback Marquis Wilson to its Class of 2018 back on May 20. We caught up with the future Nittany Lion to learn the ins and outs surrounding his recruitment, what he'll be doing to recruit other players as well as what fans can expect when he takes the field. Enjoy!
Ryan Snyder: To start it off, what were some of the key reasons that led you to join Penn State over the other schools that offered? Were there maybe two or three things that really set Penn State apart from the competition?
Marquis Wilson: I would have to say that the relationships that they built with not just me, but everyone around me. That really had a big impact. Penn State went out of their way to get to know everyone that I really care about. Whether it was my mom, my dad, my mentors or the people that have coached me and trained me over the years. They just got to know everyone that was close with me. That really showed me and my family that they really care about me. That was one of the big things, maybe the biggest thing. Also, I just clicked with their coaching staff. Our relationship never felt like they were my coaches. When we talked, I felt like I was talking to my family, whether it be my uncles or my cousins or [whomever]. It just felt different, which says a lot because I built great relationships with coaches at other schools, too.
Snyder: Were there one or two coaches that you became really close with? Were there one or two that you talked with the most or were you speaking with the entire coaching staff throughout your recruitment?
Wilson: I talked to everyone. I really did. Whether it was Coach [Tim] Banks, Coach [Justin] King or Coach [Terry] Smith, I was talking to all of them. I also liked that it was always a different conversation with the different coaches. It wasn’t always just them trying to sell me on Penn State. That really helped me become comfortable with them and it showed me that they care about me and about more than just me being a good football player for them. Also, I didn’t mention Coach [James] Franklin. Coach Franklin was always speaking with me when he got the chance. It was always a new conversation, always about more than football. I felt like that allowed me to really get to know them.
Snyder: I have to ask more about your position coach, Terry Smith. What was it about Coach Smith that you really liked?
Wilson: His honesty was one of the first things that really stood out to me. From the first time I talked to him, he was telling me how it is at Penn State and what I can expect. There wasn’t anything that he never explained to me that I had to find out later during a visit or whatever. He was never just telling me what I wanted to hear. He was always telling me what I needed to hear. When we would be in the DB room talking about football, he was always honest with me about how I fit in and how they would use me, whether I liked it or not. When I would talk about it with my parents then, we would always talk about how he was real with me and how I would always know exactly what I’m coming into.
Snyder: It always felt like, once Penn State offered, they were the team to beat. Is that fair to say? In addition to that, what were some of the other schools that you were really interested in? Did any schools really push Penn State for that top spot?
Wilson: When I got the offer, of course, I was really excited. Penn State was basically at the top for me, but I did kind of slow things down then and make sure that I gave all the schools a look. Syracuse was one school that I was very interested in. I would say that, at one point, Penn State and Syracuse were tied. I got to build a great relationship with their coaches and Syracuse has a lot of love in my area. I didn’t get to visit Syracuse as much as I visited Penn State, but when I did, I felt a real bond with their coaches. They’re good people there. So, that made it pretty hard for me at one point. I also really loved Iowa and Nebraska. I didn’t get to visit those schools, but what grabbed my attention with Iowa was how every year they have a Jim Thorpe Award Finalist and would win the award over other schools that people call DB U. They just had one of their corners get drafted pretty high this year. Also, I know Coach [Scott] Frost is new at Nebraska, but I got to see what he did at UCF.
Snyder: Take me through the last couple of weeks of your recruitment. Going back to your official visit and then up to the final couple of days when you saw that JaQuan Brisker committed and you knew that Tyler [Rudolph] was going to commit. What were you thinking? I know you took that unannounced visit to Penn State the day you committed. Was that because you realized you had to commit soon or you risked losing out on your spot?
Wilson: Committing to Penn State was definitely something I kept flirting with, especially after my official visit. I loved Penn State, but I kept telling myself that I can’t rush this. The official helped out because that’s basically when I was 100 percent sold. That’s when I really got a feel for the campus and saw the hospitality from everyone up there. When I went home, I told my parents that I loved it and that I don’t really see myself anywhere else. So, I prayed a lot and thought about it more and more. My gut was telling me that this was the place for me, so once I knew that Tyler was going up there that weekend and was committing then that Monday, I went up there that Sunday and decided to pull the trigger. It just was the right time and I knew that it was the right school.
Snyder: How much did academics factor into your decision? Also, do you know what you want to major in yet?
Wilson: Academics played a huge role. One of the reasons I left a lot of other really good football schools out was because of the opportunity that Penn State gave me, on and off the field. I’m not going to act like I’m an academic monster or anything like that, but I know that, whatever I want to do in life, I have to have a strong degree supporting me. Penn State provided me the opportunity to get an excellent degree and also play football at the highest level. They’re one of the few programs that are the best in the nation in both football and academics. So, knowing that I’m getting the best of both worlds really helped me out. At the same time, that’s also what had me thinking about Syracuse a lot. I’m thinking about majoring in communications or graphic design. I would love to do something in sports broadcasting some day and Syracuse is the best school in the nation for that. That honestly played a big part in me holding off and thinking about this more. I thought about that a lot.
Snyder: Now that you’re committed, how hard do you plan to recruit other players? Are you actively reaching out to recruits, or do you let guys come to you when they have a question about Penn State?
Wilson: I’m definitely aggressive, but probably not the way most people think. I’m messaging guys and texting them, but I’m not trying to persuade them to come to Penn State. I didn’t like when guys bugged me all the time about their school. I just tell them that if they need any advice on how I handled my recruitment or if they have any questions, I’ll always tell them the truth. For me, I learned a lot throughout the process. Growing up, Florida was my dream school, but when you go through everything, your attitude changes. You have to look at so much more than just football. Everyone has their different reasons, too. So, I just tell guys that if they ever need some inside information on Penn State or have some questions, I’m here to help them and tell them the truth. I just talk to these guys like any friend would. I’m not trying to annoy them and talk recruiting all the time. Most of my friends that were recruited didn’t like that.
Snyder: How long have you been friends with Tyler Rudolph? Were you guys friends before everything took off with recruiting? Or did you guys become friends by taking visits and traveling together? What’s the background with you and Tyler?
Wilson: We both worked out with Supreme Athlete. I’ve been working with them since like seventh grade. Tyler was always one of the top players in the state, but he was kind of raw in the beginning, so he seeked out help and came to Supreme Athlete. I believe that was either his freshman or sophomore year. From then, we’ve just been going at it, doing everything we can to make each other better. At first, I didn’t really know him. He wasn’t really a friend of mine, so I was always trying to make him look foolish. (Laughs) But once we got to know each other more, we just connected. We actually have the same birthday and everything, Now, I feel like he’s my brother. He’s like a twin to me.
Snyder: So, did Tyler have much of an impact on you coming to Penn State?
Wilson: If you would’ve asked us this a month or two ago, I don’t think we would’ve both ended up at Penn State. I know Tyler was really thinking about Clemson a lot. But when we went on our official together, we were roommates. We would come back to the room at night and just talk about how something really big is happening at Penn State. We were talking about how we could help get this team to that next level and help Coach Franklin become the first African-American coach to win a national championship. We just realized that we can make history here. So, I guess you could say that he kind of played a role, mainly because of the talks we had during our visit.
Snyder: I like to ask you guys about your strengths and weaknesses. For strengths, what are a few traits that have always come natural to you at cornerback? For weaknesses, I’m mainly just trying to learn a few things that you want to work on and improve on between now and when you enroll at Penn State.
Wilson: One of my strengths is just ball awareness. When the ball is in the air, even if I got to run to the other side of the field, I’ve always felt like I’m great at timing my runs, tracking the ball and going up to make the play. Even if I’m not peaking at the quarterback, I feel like I’m pretty good at reading the field, reading the play and figuring out where the ball is going. Also, I think I’m pretty good at recognizing the play before the snap. When I was freshman playing against the older guys, they would always call out my plays and routes before I would even do it. So, I learned a lot when I first started about reading the quarterback, reading the receivers and their splits. When you see where the receiver is lined up, you can kind of check off a few routes that you know he’s not going to be running because of where he’s lined up. For my weaknesses, I just need to really improve my speed and strength. I think that, right now, I’m too small. If I was going to Penn State right now, I would definitely redshirt. I need to improve on my speed and my size so I can be ready when I get up there next year.
Snyder: Last question Marquis. I like to give you an opportunity to say something to all the Penn State fans out there. It can be about anything. Maybe something people don’t know about you or maybe about how excited you are to play at PSU. Is there anything you’d like to say to all the fans reading this?
Wilson: I would just say that I’m going to give you guys everything I got. When I make big plays, I love to hear you guys scream and cheer, but it’s tough being a cornerback. You’re never going to win all the time, so just stick with me and support me the best way you can. I’m never going to be perfect, but I promise you guys that I’ll give you everything I have every Saturday.