Safety Donovan Wilson selected in the sixth round by the Dallas Cowboys

Donovan Wilson on Saturday continued a streak of Texas A&M defensive backs selected in the NFL draft when he was taken in the sixth  round by the Dallas Cowboys. 

Wilson is the third consecutive Aggies safety to be selected and the fourth A&M defensive back chosen since 2016.

Last year safety Armani Watts was a fourth round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. In the 2017 draft, Justin Evans was taken in the second round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cornerback Brandon Williams was a third round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in the 2016 draft.

Before that streak the last A&M defensive back drafted was Terrence Frederick, who was picked in the seventh round of the 2012 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In Wilson, the Cowboys gets a hard-hitting, aggressive safety with a knack for making big plays. He posted 207 tackles, five sacks, eight interceptions, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries during his A&M career.

A three-star rated prospect out of Shreveport Woodlawn High School in 2014, Wilson posted a respectable 19 tackles in his debut season.

The next year he emerged as a force at safety. He led the Aggies with five interceptions, including one returned 60 yards for a touchdown in a victory over South Carolina. He also forced three fumbles, recovered two and registered 63 tackles. He followed that up with a solid junior year in which he had an end zone interception against Mississippi State and 59 tackles overall.

Wilson was named a defensive captain for his senior year in 2017, but suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the season-opening 45-44 loss to UCLA. Wilson recovered and came back in 2018 with a strong showing that was marred by targeting penalties.

Last season Wilson was second among A&M defenders with 66 tackles. He also posted two sacks and had two interceptions – one of which clinched a 24-17 victory over Arkansas. Unfortunately, three times he was penalized for targeting and therefore missed three halves of football. He also sat out the Gator Bowl victory over North Carolina State because of injury.

After the season he was recipient of the Aggie Heart Award and Defensive Leadership Award.