Giants' David Wilson Predicts He'll Be A Hall Of Famer, Likens Himself To Birth Control
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Giants running back David Wilson hasn't even rushed for 100 yards in his career yet -- and he's played in just six games -- but the rookie has a pretty good idea of what his legacy will be when it's all said and done.
"I think at the end of my career, I'll be in the Hall of Fame," the rookie told Newsday. "I know myself, and I know [when] I have guys around me that feel the same way, which I feel I do. When I get my opportunity, the sky is not the limit. I think it's past it. You have to believe in yourself to do good things. This is how I feel."
The final pick of the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft found himself in head coach Tom Coughlin's doghouse right away, as the Virginia Tech alum fumbled on his second career rushing attempt in the season opener against the Cowboys.
Following the fumble, the 21-year-old was handed the ball just four times over the next three weeks.
But although Wilson hasn't yet established himself as a force in his short career, he believes that he's essentially a sure thing.
"I'm like birth control," Wilson said. "You have to believe in me. Like birth control, 99.9 percent of the time I'm going to come through for you."
Though offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride believes in his running back's ability, he acknowledges that No. 22 needs plenty of seasoning on the NFL level.
"We'll see," Gilbride told the newspaper in regard to whether Wilson will get more opportunities on the field. "He's progressing in some things, but some things he has a ways to go. He's got a lot of room for growth."
But Wilson is tired of waiting. He wants to get in there as much as possible and prove to his coaches that he's a force to be reckoned with.
"It's a matter of getting me in there, trying to put the bug in their ear for some playing time," he said. "I never know when that opportunity is coming, and that's why you have to stay prepared. But when I do get that opportunity, I'm going to get lost in the moment and keep it going. Once I get my chance to go out there and play football and do what I do, I'm not going to want to let go of that."
This isn't the first time that Wilson had made supremely confident proclamations about himself. Shortly after being drafted by Big Blue, the five-foot-nine, 206-pounder told WFAN co-hosts Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno that he's a "mixture of Arian Foster and Ray Rice with the way I break tackles and make something out of nothing."
The 2011 ACC Player of the Year has carried the ball 15 times for 87 yards and a touchdown this year for the G-Men. He's also returned 19 kickoffs for 540 yards.
Do you like Wilson's confidence, or should he tone it down a notch? Let us know what you think in the comments section below...
