Gibril Wilson

Gibril Wilson was a star at the University of Tennessee and became a star in the NFL. Drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft, he’d go on to lead the Giants to a victory in Super Bowl XLII and become one of the top safeties in the National Football League. During his first four years with the Giants he started 51 of 52 games, intercepted 11 passes and recorded 360 tackles to go along with six sacks. In 2008 he was rewarded for his stellar play when the Oakland Raiders signed him to a six-year, $39 million contract, making him one of the highest paid defensive backs in history. In 2009 he made his way to the Miami Dolphins, and finished his career with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011. During his seven years in the NFL he compiled 481 tackles and intercepted 13 passes, ranking him amongst the leaders in those categories from 2004 to 2009. His career ended far too soon due to a torn ACL and MCL in 2012, but for the length of his career he was one of the best. He was a leader and a force on the defensive side of the ball, and highly respected amongst his teammates, coaches and opponents.