Joined this week by one of my former player's, Brandon Wilson, kick returner extraordinaire and defensive back for the Cincinnati Bengals, talks through his football career to date and walks through pivotal moments along his journey.
Becoming a father during the pandemic and fighting to prove his worth to the Bengals in the final year of his rookie contract, we started out by discussing the challenges and stresses that the 2020 season brought.
More than anything, Brandon simply cares about other people. Whether that's being close to his family and keeping them healthy, or looking out for his teammates, the conversation always deflected praise to others. I really have a ton of respect for this young man and it was a blast to talk through his early days in the game, high school recruiting process, college experience and current NFL day-to-day grind.
Something I wanted to harp on was Brandon's overall character and getting a glimpse into his mindset, as it's important to be able to recognize high character, high performers when you see them.
Here are some key qualities of Brandon that I wanted to highlight from our conversation:
1. Be coachable
"I never talked back to a coach." - Brandon Wilson
Always the first in line and attentive to detail, Brandon takes pride in how coachable he is as a player.
2. Put the team first
No matter what position he was put in, Brandon only wanted to be the best teammate he could be and help his team succeed.
3. Do the right things off the field
"We all know what's right. Just make the right decision."
This one is self-explanatory, but as a collegiate athlete (and now NFL athlete) the spotlight shines brightest on you. The same can be applied for coaches and scouts alike.
4. Commit to recovery
That looks like long contrast baths, eating healthy (no fried food or pork for B-Wil) and 8 hours of sleep. To perform at a high level, you've got to focus on keeping yourself healthy and rejuvenated (both as an athlete and as a coach)
With camp season right around the corner and recruits getting ready to step foot on college campuses, I felt it would be timely to have someone with an elite mindset like B-Wil to talk shop with! Let me know what you thought of the show and don't forget to leave a review after you drop that 5-star rating!
To find and follow Brandon Wilson, check him out on Instagram and Twitter at @ItsBWilson_!
Thanks again for tuning in and click any one of favorite podcasting platforms to listen to the show!
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-close-in-personnel-with-alex-brown/id1504584632
Stitcher: https://stitcher.com/s?fid=516832
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