LIKE IT IS

Wilson took a hit coming back to Arkansas

Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

At some point every Saturday last season, as the Arkansas Razorbacks football season ground down to the final game, the same thought occurred.

Did Tyler Wilson make a mistake coming back for his senior season?

He looked like he was playing hurt, and offensive coordinator Paul Petrino even said Wilson would let them know if he couldn’t play, but it was obvious by how many times he played hurt as a junior and senior that wasn’t the case.

Wilson received national love and respect for staying in the pocket and waiting until the last second to make the throw even though he knew he was going to get knocked down, usually hard. He did it again and again until a concussion sent him to the sidelines.

Wilson will go down in Razorbacks football history as a talented quarterback who was tougher than a claw hammer on a hickory nut.

Still, the thought was there, especially late in some of those final games when he was limping, throwing off his back foot and sometimes running for his life.

Get him out.

Isn’t that really a coach’s decision? It also would have allowed Brandon Allen to get some game experience.

Wilson also should go down in the history books as one of the most loyal Razorbacks ever.

In January 2012, so-called experts were penciling in the Hogs for the BCS championship game. Wilson’s name was regularly mentioned in debates about the Heisman Trophy.

Those were heady times, and he still passed on entering the draft, a draft when he probably would have been the No. 8 pick by the Miami Dolphins, who took Ryan Tannehill, the Texas A&M quarterback who was turned into a receiver at A&M only to be converted back into a quarterback later.

Four quarterbacks were taken in last year’s first round, including No. 1 pick Andrew Luck and No. 2 pick Robert Griffin III, both of whom became starters and led their respective teams to the playoffs.

Fast forward a year, after the Hogs’ championship hopes were basically lost on April 1 of last year, and Wilson has demonstrated good judgment and skills for NFL scouts.

Some analysts say he should be the first quarterback drafted, but only Ryan Nassib of Syracuse is listed as a first-round quarterback by Josh Norris on NFL.com.

Matt Barkley and Geno Smith are listed as high second-rounders. Wilson is listed as being the 89th overall player taken, going in the third round of the draft that begins Thursday.

Certainly that’s not a bad place, and he will receive some guaranteed money, but it’s not what No. 8 of the first round would have netted him last season.

Admirably, Wilson has refused to complain. True competitors rarely do, and many believe he got some of that spirit from his mom, Suzy, who loves to win at tennis.

Wilson has embraced and accepted his place in life and in doing so has shown incredible strength and a fierce loyalty to the Razorbacks. He was at the Red-White game last Saturday, standing on the sidelines smiling.

Through all the adversity of last season, he showed up every day and provided leadership, even in the three games when he didn’t play.

Considering he played in three fewer games, his numbers were close to those of his junior season. He threw12 interceptions to only six the previous season, but that could very well go back to being hurt.

If there is one thing that absolutely puts him above the other quarterbacks in this draft - and the NFL scouts know this for sure - it’s that he has already demonstrated mental and physical toughness on and off the field.

Those are learned at home long before you take the field in front of more than 70,000 fans.

Financially, not leaving last year may have been a mistake, but Tyler Wilson has said he’s not worried about that.

Sports, Pages 17 on 04/24/2013

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