Marco Wilson’s first NFL action Friday night in a preseason game was by and large a success.
The Arizona Cardinals cornerback, taken in the fourth round of the draft earlier this year after being a four-year starter at Florida, was among the rookies and young players who stood out, with four tackles and a pair of breakups in pass coverage against the Dallas Cowboys.
Wilson entered the game in the first quarter.
“I felt good. I felt natural out there,” Wilson said. “Just having fun playing football, living my dream playing NFL football, so it felt great. I want to make sure moving forward that I can just be consistent.”
It looked like going against veterans like A.J. Green and DeAndre Hopkins in practice has benefited Wilson in training camp, to the point where he’s seen time with the first team defense. He said he leans on the veteran defensive backs for advice, but one player who has helped him by offering feedback is Hopkins.
“It’s all about getting the ball. He stresses that,” Wilson said. “I go against him every now and then in practice, and he’ll point out little things I can do to help my game improve.”
Wilson against rookie speedster Rondale Moore was something to watch briefly in Sunday’s practice. Moore caught a ball in double coverage, with Wilson one of the two defending. But Wilson stayed with the play, the ball came loose as Moore went down, and Wilson scooped up the fumble and went the other way down the sideline.
“Marco had some flash plays, had some plays I’d like to have back,” Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said of Wilson’s first preseason game. “I thought some of the additions we made through the draft and free agency late were big, and it’s been good competition. “They’re all learning the system. Having Rob(ert) Alford back and healthy has been a real big boost to that room, having a veteran presence like that.”
Alford is a resource for Wilson, as is another veteran, Malcolm Butler. And third-year cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. has taken note of Wilson’s play.
Murphy said the message in his words to Wilson before Friday’s game was to “go out and play your game. Don’t think too much,” Murphy said. “I got a lot of reps my rookie year so kind of advised him to go in the game, do what you’re supposed to, just keep going.”
Wilson and another rookie draft pick, Tay Gowan, are a pair of cornerbacks seeing the speed of the game at the NFL level for the first time, and through one preseason game, survived it and can file away the experience to use for the future.
“Every day I come into the building and think about how I can get better or any ways that I can improve my game,” Wilson said.
Get in touch with Jose Romero at Jose.Romero@gannett.com. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM.
