On the field, Marvin Wilson, from Episcopal High School (Houston, Texas), is arguably the most dominant football player in the Class of 2017. At 6’4”, 310 lbs, there is no prospect in high school football that can match the unique combination of physicality and quickness of the Defensive Tackle. Off the field, Wilson has had to overcome some major obstacles that have stood in the way of his path towards success, but through it all, he has been able to prove everyone wrong: “Nobody ever thought that I would make it this far. After my first year of high school, they saw some potential and they encouraged me to start going out to camps and stuff like that. See how far I can go with.” Wilson said.

 

Coming from Houston, Texas, Marvin Wilson started playing football at the age of eight years old. “My brother was my main influence in starting to play. We used to play at the boys and girls club, and that was when we started playing flag football.”

It wasn’t until the conclusion of his first year of high school that he began to receive national attention. Since then, he has risen through the ranks of the Class of 2017, culminating in a #1 ranking by Rivals.com. While many athletes don’t like to focus on the rankings, Wilson has a different perspective, saying, “I like to look at articles and pay attention, because one day it can be here and the next it can be gone.”

 

Wilson’s ascension to the top of his class has captured the attention of some of the best schools in Division 1 football, including the likes of colleges such as Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU, and many others. With nearly 25 offers, Wilson has a difficult challenge ahead of him in deciding where to play college football, but he has made sure to communicate what he is looking for in a school.  “I just look and see where I can go in and play,” he says. “Somewhere that has a low depth chart for defensive lineman, so that I can go in and play right off the bat, like Purdue’s defensive linemen. I also want a place that has a history of sending players to the league and a place that I can graduate early at.” Wilson hopes to commit in February 2017 on National Signing Day.

When it comes to his future, it seems that Wilson has it all planned out, saying, “I want to go to college, get my degree. Then I want to go to the league, hopefully win a Super Bowl, and probably retire after about 10-12 years. Afterward,  I want to get a degree in broadcast journalism, be on CBS or ESPN and be an analyst.”

 

Wilson’s journey to the top of the 2017 Class has been something to marvel at. “I live in a single parent household. I have an older sister and two older brothers. My second oldest brother is handicapped. It’s been a struggle, living with them growing up. My mom doesn’t make that much money, so we’re all just living together.” explained the high school Junior.

Things got even tougher after Hurricane Ike. “A few years ago, after Hurricane Ike, our house started to break down. We had rodents running through the house. One day, I came home from practice during my Sophomore year and I had a snake in my house. My mom was like, ‘Get all of your stuff’ and so we went to a hotel for around two months. Me, my mom, and my oldest brother, who is 23 and handicapped, lived in a hotel for almost two months until I got enough money to live in an apartment. Living there, I slept on the floor, up until a couple weeks ago, until I got a new bed. So, just the little things that people don’t know about me, I like to keep it behind closed doors.” he said.

 

Despite his troubles at home, Wilson has been able to stay focused and distinguish himself as a standout athlete, not only as a football player but also as a basketball player. After leading the football team at Episcopal High School to a 9-2 record this year, Wilson moved to basketball, leading the basketball team to a 26-5 record with a chance of an SPC title. Playing basketball has been a huge factor in Wilson’s ability on the football field: “I’ve played basketball since about 5th grade, so it’s always helped with the footwork aspect of my game,” he said. “My footwork has always been up to par compared to other players around me because I’ve played basketball all my life.”

 

While most people only know about him due to his play on the field, it is clear that, for Marvin Wilson, there is more than meets the eye. Wilson has done an incredible job of overcoming struggles at home, helping him flourish into one of the best players in the Class of 2017. Through it all, Wilson has elevated his game, motivated by one thing: “My family. They have always been there to help me out, give me nice things, so I can go out and just be me, so I just go out every day and grind out for them.”