Instead of making a selection with the 211th pick, the Jets dealt the choice back to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for CB Quincy Wilson.
New York originally traded the 211th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft in exchange for CB Nate Hairston. That pick was returned to Gang Green after the compensation conditions were not met. Wilson now joins his former Colts teammates, Hairston and Pierre Desir, as well as his former Florida teammates, Marcus Maye and Brian Poole, in New York’s secondary.
Not only did the Jets acquire an established veteran in Wilson — he has three-years playing experience under his belt — but he’s also just 23 years old. He has a lot of raw talent and the potential to play a pivotal role in Gregg Williams’ defensive scheme, which better fits his playing style.
With that said, let’s get to know the Jets’ newest addition to their secondary.
Scheme Change
Quincy Wilson played exceptionally well in the Colts’ press-man system in 2017 and 2018 when he received a Pro Football Focus grades of 71.1 and 69.9, respectively. In those two seasons, Wilson served primarily as the Colts’ No. 3 cornerback, recording two interceptions and 50 tackles.
Once the Colts switched to a zone-scheme to accommodate their personnel, Temple cornerback Rock Ya-Sin leaped Wilson on the depth chart. Wilson’s play immediately hit a wall. In 2019, Wilson received a PFF overall grade of 30.2.
The Jets are now hoping that a change in scenery and a return to a press-man coverage system under Gregg Williams will revitalize Wilson’s career.
Highly-touted prospect
Coming out of the University of Florida, Quincy Wilson was considered one of the best cornerback prospects in the country.
Wilson was chatty down in Gainesville, but he often backed up his talk with his play. In 2016, Wilson was a second-team All-SEC selection, recording 3.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and six pass breakups. The year before, Wilson was a nine-game starter, adding two interceptions and five pass breakups. As a true freshman, Wilson started twice, recording 22 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups.
At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Wilson has the prototypical size for a cornerback. At Florida, Wilson was big and physical, willing to accept the challenge of taking on opposing team’s opposite wideouts in the SEC.
Wilson took an official pre-draft visit with the Eagles in Philadelphia when Joe Douglas was their VP of Player Personnel. The Eagles decided to take Sidney Jones over Wilson in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Inactive in Indy
Wilson’s best performance in 2019 came when he held Chiefs TE Travis Kelce to just four catches. He came off the bench after seeing his playing-time diminish and accepted the tall task at hand. From there, everything changed. It was thought to be a turning point in Wilson’s tenure with the Colts, but he played just 36 defensive snaps in Indy’s 11 remaining games. Before injuring his shoulder and missing the last two games of the season, Wilson was a healthy scratch for at least four of those 11 games.
“It was definitely frustrating,” Wilson told Stephen Holder of The Athletic. “I felt like in my second year, I was coming off a good year and I finally figured out some things and I had something to build on. I feel kind of like I got robbed of that this year, however, it went down.”
Ultimately, the Colts’ change in scheme marked the end of Wilson’s tenure in Indianapolis. The fit changed, and now the Jets are hoping for a better one.
Football’s in the family
Quincy Wilson comes from a football family.
His father, Chad, played cornerback for the Miami Hurricanes in 1994 after transferring from Long Beach State. Quincy’s younger brother, Marco, was a four-star cornerback and part of Florida’s 2017 recruiting class. He started all 13 games for the Gators in 2019.
