Hall of Fame
Position: Linebacker
Years: 1995-1998
Place of Birth: Jackson, TN
Date of Birth: June 21, 1977
Jersey Number: 27
Height: 6-0
Weight: 240
High School: Jackson Central-Merry HS (Jackson, TN)
Acting as the quarterback of Tennessee's defense, Al Wilson capped his career as one of the Vols' greatest linebackers by leading them to the 1998 national championship. The Jackson, Tennessee, native becomes the 21st player in school history to join the College Football Hall of Fame.
A consensus First Team All-America in 1998, Wilson was the only All-America selection from the perfect 13-0 Vols squad that won the inaugural BCS National Championship at the Fiesta Bowl against Florida State. He also guided Tennessee to three other bowl games, including consecutive wins at the Citrus Bowl in 1996 and 1997. During his career in Knoxville, Wilson led the Vols to back-to-back SEC titles and four top 10 finishes (No. 3 in 1995, No. 9 in 1996, No. 7 in 1997 and No. 1 in 1998).
A finalist for the 1998 Nagurski Trophy, Wilson earned First Team All-SEC honors as a senior and second team all-conference laurels as a junior while losing only three conference games in four years. The 1998 team captain posted 12 tackles and a school-record three forced fumbles in the Vols' win over No. 6 Florida that season, which ended Tennessee's five-game losing streak to the Gators. A 1999 Senior Bowl participant, Wilson played for College Football Hall of Fame Coach Phillip Fulmer and alongside Hall of Famer and 1997 Campbell Trophy® recipient Peyton Manning. Finishing his stellar career with 272 total tackles, he is enshrined in both the University of Tennessee Athletics and the State of Tennessee Sports halls of fame.
A first-round pick by the Denver Broncos in the 1999 NFL Draft, Wilson was a five-time Pro Bowl selection while playing for the team from 1999-2006.
Wilson co-founded Project FANchise, which previously established the first-ever fan-controlled professional sports franchise, the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles, and operated the Colorado Crush to play in the Indoor Football League. Off the field, he has annually hosted children's football camps and resides in Atlanta.
