Teams played for:
- New York Giants; 2004-2007
- Oakland Raiders; 2008
- Miami Dolphins; 2009
- Cincinnati Bengals; 2010-2011
A junior college transfer, Gibril Wilson immediately emerged as a physical, hard-hitting safety for Tennessee football. He also notably had the key interception to stop the Miami Hurricanes’ final offensive drive when the Vols upset them in 2003. In two years, he had five and a half sacks, another eight tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, 17 passes broken up and three picks.
With his play, Wilson was a fifth-round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. That was the same year the got Eli Manning, so they were clearly building for the future. At 6’0″ 206 pounds, WIlson clearly became a key part of that future, and he appeared in and started half the games that year.
By 2005, Wilson became the full-time starter, and over the next three years, he was just like Manning, helping the Giants make three straight playoff appearances and then winning the Super Bowl. He spent a year starting in Oakland and then Miami. After signing with Cincinnati in 2010, he had a season-ending injury that year, but he returned to help them make the playoffs in 2011.
That 2011 season was Wilson’s final one in the NFL, as his injury clearly slowed him down. However, he still had a solid run, appearing in 100 games, starting in 81 of them and coming away with 13 career interceptions, eight and a half sacks, eight forced fumbles and 625 tackles, 488 of which were solo.