Wilson looks fast even when he's standing still. The 6-foot-4, 236-pound linebacker from Chicago Simeon actually looks taller and leaner than his advertised size. He looks almost thin, but when he's running full speed there's no doubt about his rare athleticism.
The trouble is, when he lines up at linebacker and the ball is snapped, there are plays during which he's uncertain what to do. So Wilson takes a half-step to his right, stops, pauses, then backpedals to his left. All of a sudden the play is over and this ultraquick linebacker has never reached half-speed.
Zook's analysis sounds convoluted, but it makes sense.
"He's only going to be as good as the things he can do fast," the coach said. "There is no way of knowing yet what he'll be able to do, but when you are down there in the briar patch, things happen fast.
"But we can do some things with Martez. We can put in a little package for him. Coaching is putting a player in position where he can be successful. Their freshman year, you give them what they can handle. The best coaches I've been around are guys who know that.
"We have to use the things Martez can do and we won't know that for weeks. One thing I do know: If you put him on the edge and tell him to get around the corner and rush the passer, he can do that."
Wilson thinks he's making progress.
"The first day I was kind of lost," he said. "Then I started moving around and running to the ball. By the middle of camp I'll just be out there balling."
Another thing Wilson can do immediately at full speed is run down the field on kickoff coverage, looking for the return man. So in Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage, he lined up for the opening kickoff and quickly hit his stride.
For now, Wilson is concentrating on defense. But he's hoping for a chance on offense, too.
"By the middle of the season I might be playing a little offense," said Wilson, who wants a crack at wide receiver.
