When Varsity football player Nakia Wilson ran four touchdowns and 170 yards in a come-from-behind overtime win against Hayfield, it wasn’t the first time Wilson turned heads.
The running back produced at least 100 yards and a touchdown in each game this season, over 850 yards, and averaged 7 yards per carry. Despite his notable stat sheet, Wilson said he did not always love football.
“I liked watching it,” Wilson said. “But playing it, I didn’t think it was for me. Then my dad got me into it, and I fell in love.”
Wilson attributes staying with football to his mother.
“She’s just taught me to stick through everything, keep going, keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I used to suck at football. I actually started on the D line and O line, then I moved to running back three to four years ago.”
Among his influences, Wilson also credits his faith.
“The biggest thing for me is God, I put God first in everything I do, he drives me.”
Junior year is widely regarded as the most important in the athletic recruiting process, something Wilson has taken note of.
“I want to get a few offers, so I can start the recruiting process early,” Wilson said. “I’m always trying to get better, so whatever I do this season, I want to double it, triple it next year and do a lot better.”
Despite his tremendous on-field success, Wilson remains dedicated to his academics as well.
“I want to be a mechanical engineer and get my grades at a good spot so I can go study mechanics in college,” he said.
Wilson said his biggest role model in his process was not a favorite NFL player, but instead a former teammate.
“Someone I really looked up to was Matthew Shutello,” he said. “He was the starter before me and I really looked up to him. He was a great player.”