Top 30 Most Overlooked High School Recruits to Go Pro Since 2000
By Zach Bigalke
Kyle Wilson was part of a celebrated Piscataway High School team that won three straight New Jersey state championships between 2002 and 2004, bookending the stretch with undefeated seasons. He was a first team All-State selection as a wide receiver, playing both ways for the Chiefs. Though he received just two stars from the recruiting services, Wilson was offered scholarships by Rutgers and Delaware but opted instead to go play for Dan Hawkins at emerging mid-major powerhouse Boise State.
Wilson was redshirted during Hawkins’ last season before leaving for the Colorado job, but once he took the field for Chris Petersen he quickly emerged as a defensive leader. His 10 tackles against Oklahoma helped Boise State win the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, foreshadowing his rise to the NFL. He ended his Boise State career with 11 interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, and had been a backbone of some of the best-rated defenses during the mid-to-late 2000s. The New York Jets picked Wilson with the 29th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and he spent his first five seasons with the team before signing with New Orleans in 2015.