Several college football stars have already opted out of the 2020 season, but Florida State defensive tackle Marvin Wilson made it clear Thursday that he plans to suit up this fall, even after he and first-year coach Mike Norvell began their relationship on rocky footing.
"As far as opting out and different things like that, I didn't come back to sit out or opt out and go prepare for the league," the Wilson told reporters on Thursday. "I think that is just taking the easy way out. For me personally, I came back here. I have work here to do in Tallahassee, and I'm going to get that done."
Wilson is regarded as a probable first-round draft pick in 2021 and came in as high as No. 10 in a series of mocks conducted by CBS Sports experts in June. He could have turned pro after his 2019 season, which was limited to just nine games by a hand injury. But he opted to come back for his senior season, telling the Tallahassee Democrat in April that he wants to "lead this program back to what it used to be."
He reiterated the feeling Thursday just as news broke that defensive lineman Gregory Rousseau, a star at rival Miami, is opting out of the 2020 season. Wilson said he's simply "come too far to now just turn back-around."
"I put too much work into this program," Wilson said. "I put too much emphasis into some of these young guys' life. I feel like that would be a form of quitting, in my opinion, to just opt out at this last moment right before the season. We worked too hard all together during this offseason, this pandemic, tough times, to just give up. I feel like that would be disrespectful to them of showing them the way to being a true Nole. I don't rock out like that. I'm definitely going to play the season and give it my all."
Wilson's dedication to playing for Florida State this season is also significant considering that in June Wilson challenged Norvell's claim that he had a one-on-one conversation with every player on the roster following the police shooting of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Wilson wrote on Instagram in June that "we are moving forward" from the incident, and he proved again Thursday that he remains committed to his pledge of helping the Seminoles return to prominence.
