After a dominant outing against Morehouse College, Fort Valley State RB Emanuel Wilson has been named the Shrine Bowl HBCU Offensive Player of the Week. Wilson tallied four touchdowns and showcased his all-around ability in the Wildcats’ 56-28 victory. But that’s nothing new for Wilson this season.
Week 7 Shrine Bowl HBCU Offensive Player of the Week: Fort Valley State RB Emanuel Wilson
Wilson ripped off two first-quarter touchdowns on Saturday against Morehouse, one through the air and another on the ground. Despite that, FVSU went into halftime with just a seven-point lead. Thanks largely to Wilson, the Wildcats racked up 28 unanswered points in the second half to build an insurmountable lead.
Wilson scored two more touchdowns, again one on the ground and one through the air, in what became a convincing victory. Fort Valley State is now 6-1, and Wilson crossed double-digit touchdowns on the year in the victory.
Those double-digit touchdowns and his influence in the aerial assault for FVSU are what continue to turn heads.
“One aspect of his game I’ve been pleased to see grow is his catching ability,” Draft HBCU scout and defensive line coach Gerald J. Huggins Jr. told Pro Football Network. “Through seven games this year, he has 14 receptions, 150 yards, and two touchdowns.”
“Getting him more involved in the passing game will only help increase his draft stock.”
Wilson has been firmly on the 2023 NFL Draft‘s radar for sure, increasing his draft stock with his already exemplary play to date. He was a member of the Shrine Bowl 1000 in the preseason after rushing for 835 yards and seven touchdowns a season ago.
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Through seven games this season, he’s already surpassed his numbers for 2021 and should surely break the 1,000-yard plateau as early as next week against Clark Atlanta University. With his combination of size, speed, and balance, Wilson could very well be looked at in the later rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft.
“Wilson is a player that passes the eye test at 6’1″, 200-plus pounds,” Huggins said. “He has the build to be an every-down back at the next level. He showcases the ability to run between the tackles, pass protect, and get yards after contact while also possessing breakaway speed.”
With that kind of praise and his production this season, it’s safe to say that Wilson has done more than pass the eye test. Also going his way is the fact that he’s not dropped off with the increase in difficulty since transferring from Johnson C. Smith University in 2020.
Having rushed for over 1,000 yards at Johnson C. Smith, Wilson proving he can continue that level of success in the DII ranks certainly gives hope that he can do it at the next level as well.
“Wilson is one of the best running backs in HBCU football,” Huggins continued. “One can argue (he’s) top five in HBCU football and the second-best running back in DII behind Jada Byers from Virginia Union.”
That’s high praise for Wilson, as Byers has almost become a household name at this point of his career. If Wilson continues on this trajectory, you can bet he’ll, too, become a household name.