Welcome back to our countdown of the 17 most valuable Arizona Wildcats of 2017.
Before we go any further, some disclaimers:
βMost valuableβ does not necessarily mean βbest.β Rather, weβre defining it as the contributions and traits that most influence winning football. They include talent, leadership and projected role and production.
Newcomers were not eligible for the list. Although many might become major contributors this year, especially on defense, their roles are just too difficult to predict in June.
NO. 15: RB NICK WILSON
Ht/Wt/Yr: 5-10, 208, senior
Comment: If you could guarantee that Wilson would be healthy for 12 games β even 10 β heβd rank much higher on this list. Even if he were in a timeshare, heβd have top-five potential.
Unfortunately, Wilsonβs health is far from a guarantee. After a promising β heck, brilliant β freshman campaign, injuries undermined his sophomore and junior seasons. The stats tell the story:
- In 2014, Wilson played in 13 games and started eight. He had double-digit carries 11 times, rushed for at least 86 yards nine times and scored at least one touchdown nine times. His final line: 236-1,375-16.
- In 2015, Wilson started at a similar pace. He had double-figure carries in each of the first six games, rushed for 78 or more yards in five and scored at least once in four. But he hurt his foot in the sixth game, against Oregon State, and was a nonfactor thereafter. Wilson appeared in only three games in the second half of the season, totaling 18 carries for 42 yards.
- In 2016, Wilson again got off to a great start. In the first two games, he rushed 41 times for 254 yards and three scores. Then he hurt his ankle against Hawaii, and the rest of the season looked a lot like the second half of the previous year. Wilson left the Hawaii game with two carries and 3 yards. He made two additional appearances, rushing 12 times for 63 yards, before suffering a season-ending knee injury vs. USC.
Despite playing several times when he clearly wasnβt 100 percent, Wilson averaged 5.5 yards per carry as a sophomore and 5.8 as a junior β the latter matching his freshman mark. When healthy the past two seasons, he was the same player who earned multiple all-freshman accolades. He just couldnβt stay healthy.
The question moving forward is whether Wilson can shake the injury bug and finish his college career the way he started it. Heβs well aware of the label β injury-prone β and misfortune that now follow him like a linebacker. The knee injury against USC came at the end of a 39-yard run.
βI was like, βMan, I canβt catch a break,β β Wilson said in spring. βItβs one of those things. Youβve just got to keep fighting through. I know itβs not an issue of my body breaking down. I think itβs just more of an issue of me catching bad luck, getting put in awkward situations, being tackled awkwardly.β
Whether Wilson is brittle or simply unfortunate is impossible to say. He has one more season to prove he can stay on the field.
Even if he can, a repeat of 2014 is unlikely. J.J. Taylor is too good to not be heavily involved in the offense. But a healthy Wilson getting 15 touches per game easily would be one of Arizonaβs 15 most valuable players.
THE 17 MOST VALUABLE WILDCATS OF 2017
No. 17:Β TE Trevor Wood
No. 16: CB Dane Cruikshank
