Just saw on his Instagram that he signed a contract with the Bills today.
James Wilder - Bills
- Thread starter FSU_Nole_Girl
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I just don't see how some teams can't give him a shot at the goal line... He's constant beast mode!
I think he will have a hard time making the the 53 man roster, but I hope he does. I was just reading an article from the Bills website about how happy they were with the 3 guys they have now. They love their starter McCoy; Los; and Gillislee. Hopefully he does enough to somehow make that team or get noticed by another team that needs a back.
That's one of the greatest individual plays I've ever seen in person!
I'm shocked a team like Seattle wouldn't pick him up. They're bringing in garbage all year. Same thing with the patriots
Hate to say it but I think he'd have done himself a favor playing LB out of high school. Kid was a beast at LB.
Being a solid special teams player is the only way he gets on the team. If he can do that is up to him. Backs are a dime a dozen in the NFL and they get hurt, he will get his chance if he can stick.
People will always second guess that decision. He wanted to play RB, and was a good college running back. I wonder if he now regrets the decision given that it might have cost him millions.
I look forward to seeing Wilder at early fall camp in Pittsford, NY joining Karlos and other "Buffalo Noles!" Karlos and Darby have really make a name for themselves in their rookie year. Bills looked to be rather solid at RB with McCoy, Gillislee (UF) , Dixon and Karlos. Unfortunately, Karlos has had some injuries and missed time. Bradham didn't have a good year as LB in Ryan's D and will be a free agent so who knows if he will remain. O'Leary is doubtful to remain from what I'm hearing - didn't do squat. Really surprising. Watching him at camp, he seemed to lack motivation - just my perception maybe. EJ's future with Buffalo really in doubt as well. Not even close to panning out as hoped. Seems like they have pretty much given up on him. Sanborn solid as LS.
Funny that Clemson is the recipient of three of the most punishing runs In recent memory: Wilder, Nick O,Leary and Greg Jones run for a TD with the whole team on him. Too bad Greg's abuse to the UNC DB wasn't vs. Clemson too.
At some point you have to make a business decision and the fact the he doesn't have a degree either you would think he would start doing what is best for him and his family at this point.
He was also a beast as a power RB, we don't win the Clemson game in 2012 if he's not a RB. He's playing the position he wants to, you can't force a kid to play a role that he doesn't want to.
Our definition of "beast" is just different. Leveon Bell and Todd Gurley... those guys are "beasts" at RB. Wilder was a good college power RB and an important member of our team. I'm very thankful for his contributions at FSU. Nobody forced him to play a position he didn't want to.
I watched him play in high school. He was better at LB than he was at RB. Point blank. And as of today, he hasn't produced much at all in the NFL at RB. Any betting man would say its likely he never does. I think he had the potential to be a 1st round LB and I'm not the only one who thinks that. That's all I'm saying. He made the decision he made, and he is where he is. We all make our own beds. I wish him the best, like any other Nole.
His problem is, he went pro too early. He should've stayed and played his senior year at FSU.
Lonnie Pryor was just another guy. Heard that from a Bucs Scout when he was on the practice squad
I was hoping he would have stayed and switched to LB for his senior year. He could have put himself in position to be drafted and have a college degree.
You do realize the main reason he came to FSU was because Fisher recruited him strictly as a RB Right?
Wilder is badly overrated in this thread based on one or more of the following: 5 star ranking, his dad, him showing off his abs, or what 3 good runs at FSU. FSU RB wise (and we aren't even RB U) he was below average at best. Great abs and a good athlete, but not a good football player.
I was thinking the same thing, especially if he can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Except we don't win the Clemson game in 2012 if he's not playing RB and carries their whole secondary on that huge 30-40 yard run.
You can't have it both ways. And I said beast at "power RB" meaning short yardage back. He was 229 when he left that's too light to go in any first round at LB; NFL wants you at 245-255 so thinking that he missed out on something is foolish. Telvin Smith and Derrick Brooks are exception but Wilder doesn't come close to their level of speed. Even Telvin went in the 5th round.
Exactly, it's amazing how facts get lost in some posters explanations.
He was a good short yardage back. Antone Smith and Lorenzo Booker were average to below average type backs.
First and foremost, programs like FSU tailor players' strength and conditioning regimen to achieve goals. That goes for both workouts and nutrition. LBers are assigned a higher caloric intake than RBs for good reason. The kid was shredded at 229. He had plenty of room to add 10-15 pounds and carry it well. Playing RB, you wouldn't want this. Playing LB, you would. Point being this: it doesn't matter what he weighed when he left.
Second, LOL at "beast at power RB". We're talking about a guy who is having trouble finding an NFL roster.
Third, for the sake of discussion, I can have it any way I want it. Whose to say he doesn't force a fumble in this different universe where he decided to play LB. You're hung up on one run as your entire pitch. It was a great run, but that run obviously didn't get him in the 2-deep depth chart for an NFL team. Any NFL team. Maybe he will turn it around with the Bills though.
James Wilder came here at 220 and put on 9 lbs. Some guys just don't add on the weight. Fisher joke about putting him on the scale didn't matter because that's what he always weigh the SAME number not matter what he did so forget that he has guide one way or another.
News flash, a lot guys who are good running backs in college have trouble staying on NFL teams. Go see Montee Ball's and Christine Michael's NFL careers as just two examples.
Coming from someone who went through an FSU Strength and Conditioning program as an athlete, what you do or don't do absolutely affects the scale. The way you do it affects the scale. Some people do have more trouble than others, but that's a ridiculous over-generalization.
Argue all you want. My point is this: Wilder was a better LB than he was a RB at the high school level. He chose to play RB. He is now struggling to find a place in the NFL. We will all wonder what may have been if he moved to LB. Nobody can say for sure.
Conversation over.
Yawn, I doubt you had the same trainer that he did unless you were on the football otherwise you don't know what you are talking about. I went through a college strength and conditioning program too and have known guys who work with pros. Wilder was 220-225 when he got here and left about 5 pounds heavier. One of the reason he was so ripped was because he couldn't put on that much weight. Plus weight would only be part of issue at LB because he's not that fast and then you add instincts. Karlos had plenty of size and speed but didn't work as more then an average LB/SS because he didn't have instincts which I doubt Wilder had either from when I saw him play in high school. He's doing the most with his physical abilities at a pro-level and new position wouldn't have changed anything.
Plus if Jimbo thought his future was at LB then he would have put him there.
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