Ask Logan Wilson to describe his playing style, and the answer is exactly what you’d expect from an All-American linebacker.
“I would say a tough, physical, hard-nosed player that plays with a very high motor,” said the Wyoming senior standout, who’s set to lead the Cowboys against Georgia State in the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl on Tuesday at Arizona Stadium.
“I always pride myself on sprinting to the ball regardless of where it’s at.”
In many ways, Wilson is a classic middle ’backer. He’s listed at 6-2, 250 pounds. He’s a tackling machine, accumulating 414 in his career, the fourth most in Mountain West Conference history. Coaches praise his work ethic, leadership skills and humble attitude.
It’s all pretty incredible when you consider where he was five years ago.
Wilson came to Wyoming as a safety. His 247Sports recruiting profile — which features a black-and-white stock photo and ranked Wilson as the 3,208th-best prospect in the class of 2015 — lists him as a wide receiver. Wilson’s favorite player growing up was Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey.
“I’ve really been a DB my whole life,” Wilson said. “I never played linebacker until I came here.”
So how does someone go from being a 195-pound, two-star recruit — whose only other legitimate college offer came from Weber State — to everyone’s All-American at linebacker?
Personal growth
The accolades came rolling in shortly after the regular season ended. Wilson was named a first-team All-American by Pro Football Focus, a second-teamer by USA Today and a third-teamer by The Associated Press.
Wilson recorded 98 tackles, 7.5 stops for losses and four interceptions for Wyoming, which qualified for the Arizona Bowl with a 7-5 record. The Cowboys ranked sixth in the nation in run defense and 11th in points allowed through the first weekend of bowl games.
The individual numbers were nothing unusual for Wilson, who never has had fewer than 94 tackles or 7.5 TFLs in a season. His career wasn’t always trending in that direction.
Wilson barely was recruited out of Natrona County High School in Casper, where he played defensive back and receiver and earned all-state recognition three times as a punter. Craig Bohl and his staff saw something in Wilson, however. Wyoming became the only FBS school to offer him a scholarship. Wilson accepted on the spot.
“I really just wanted to play here,” he said. “As a Wyoming kid, you grew up with the dream of being able to represent the brown and gold. So when I got the offer, it was really a no-brainer.”
Wilson had the frame to put on weight, and he spent his freshman season playing linebacker for the scout team. Although playing for the Cowboys was the fulfillment of a dream, that first year proved challenging.
“It was a tough go for him for a while,” said Trevor Wilson, Logan’s father. “He wanted to come home.”
Casper is about 150 miles from Laramie, a 2-hour, 15-minute drive if the roads are clear of snow and ice. Trevor said Logan experienced what many freshmen do, whether they’re close or far, students or student-athletes.
“Every person that goes to college, there’s a degree of homesickness,” Trevor Wilson said. “Football is hard. Workouts are hard. School is hard.”
Trevor said Logan got to the point where “he wasn’t sure football was what he wanted to pursue.” His father and others encouraged him to stick with it.
“You’ve gotta battle through those things,” Trevor said. “Hopefully, good things will happen.”
Logan Wilson stuck with it. He gained weight and confidence.
The following season, Wilson started, notched 94 tackles and was named the MWC Freshman of the Year. His career was off and running.
“He was always an extremely competitive kid,” said AJ Cooper, Wyoming’s defensive run-game coordinator. “Every year you’ve seen his poise, his composure and his leadership just grow and grow.
“His work habits have always been really good. But I think it’s just the maturity. When you see so many reps and how you play things, the game slows down for you.”
Team first
New Mexico running back Bryson Carrols is tackled by Wyoming defenders Logan Wilson, left, and Rome Weber during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Laramie, Wy. (AP Photo/Michael Smith)
Wilson credits his work habits to his parents. Trevor is the associate commissioner of the Wyoming High School Activities Association. Carla is a registered nurse.
“They just always instilled in me that good things happen to those that work hard,” Logan Wilson said. “My dad, he always humbled me. If I ever got some sort of award or anything, he would say, ‘That’s a good job, bud. Now keep working.’ He never let my head get too big.
“I think that’s helped me with where I’m at right now. No matter what I’ve gotten or not gotten, I just continued to have the same mentality each and every day. I’m just gonna work to get better.”
His father put it this way: “I always tried to push him to a point. You’ve gotta be a dad too. But I always knew he could do better, as we all can.”
Wilson kept getting better, and bigger. The one-time 195-pound safety added muscle every offseason. He padded his résumé every year. He made second-team all-conference as a sophomore, first-team all-league as a senior. He became the first Cowboy to be named an AP All-American since 1997.
“If you went out and watched our practice, you would never know that he received those types of accolades,” Cooper said. “He doesn’t talk about it. He doesn’t carry himself like that. He’s a very humble guy.”
Wilson considers every all-conference or All-America honor he receives a “team award.”
“I can’t do my job to the best of my ability without the D-line doing what they need to do, being disruptive,” he said. “I can’t do anything without the DBs playing good coverage. There’s just so many things that go into it, and I think that’s what a lot of people don’t realize. I might have gotten recognized for it, but, in my opinion, it’s a total team effort.”
One honor holds deep meaning for Wilson: He served as a team captain this year for the third straight season.
“I think that’s my best accomplishment as a football player at the University of Wyoming,” Wilson said. “Just because those are the guys you go to work with every single day, and they understand the process. They look to you as a leader in times of adversity.”
True to form, Wilson didn’t want to discuss the possibility of playing in the NFL next year, preferring to focus on finishing his college career with a win in the Arizona Bowl. It could happen, though: WalterFootball.com projects Wilson as a third-day pick in the 2020 draft.
Whether he gets selected or not, Wilson has far exceeded anyone’s expectations — including his dad’s. Trevor always thought Logan could do better. What he actually has accomplished is astonishing.
“As a parent, you might dream of that a little. But in no way, shape or form did I think we’d be dealing with NFL agents right now,” Trevor Wilson said. “That he has the possibility to pursue that is unbelievable.”
