Former Kentucky football safety Marcus McWilson is hitting the West Coast as he signs with the Oakland Raiders.
Add Marcus McWilson to the list of former Kentucky football players to sign on with a team during free agency. According to CatsPause.com, McWilson will be starting his NFL career with the up-and-coming Oakland Raiders.
In his four seasons as a Kentucky Wildcat, McWilson pulled in four interceptions and made 172 tackles. He developed strong relationships with the coaching staff, most of which with Vince Marrow, seen here:
Congrats to my boy Marcus McWilson signing with the Raiders. Go Big Blue.
— CoachMarrowUK (@vincemarrow) May 8, 2017
Marcus McWilson ➡️ @RAIDERS @mcwils15 is headed to the bay!#WeAreUK #NFLCats pic.twitter.com/rbOKYrB6ev
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) May 8, 2017
Is there opportunity for McWilson?
The Oakland Raiders have been putting the pieces together for the past couple seasons. Oakland lost franchise quarterback Derek Carr to a broken fibula at the end of the season. If not for the injury, the Raiders would’ve been a legitimate playoff threat. Also, Oakland has a very young core group, highlighted by Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, and Khalil Mack.
That being said, Oakland has established a prolific offense. But, they still need consistency on defense to make it out of the AFC. McWilson will not be a major player right away, as the Raiders spent a second-round pick on a safety in Obi Melifonwu from Connecticut. But, he has the opportunity to learn from Reggie Nelson and to train with Melifonwu.
Next: Ranking the Top 10 Kentucky players in the NFL
Maybe the opportunity isn’t there in Oakland, but being brought up in a winning environment is priceless. Many undrafted free agents would love the position he’s in. Cultivating your talents early on, and seeing how to win in the NFL makes a player an enticing pickup further down the road. Good luck to Marcus and his family as he begins what hopes to be a long and productive career.