:Ray Wilson (American football)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1971)}}
{{For|others of the same name|Ray Wilson (disambiguation){{!}}Ray Wilson}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ray Wilson
| number = 42, 35
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|8|26}}
| birth_place = Panama City, Florida, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lbs = 202
| high_school = A. Crawford Mosley (Florida)
| college = New Mexico
| undraftedyear = 1994
| pastteams =
- New Orleans Saints ({{nfly|1994}})
- Green Bay Packers (1994)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 6
| pfr = WilsRa20
}}
Ray Wilson (born August 26, 1971) is a former safety in the National Football League (NFL). Wilson was born on August 26, 1971, in Panama City, Florida where he attended A. Crawford Mosley High School.{{cite web | url = https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WilsRa20.htm | title = Ray Wilson Stats | publisher = Pro-Football-Reference.com | access-date = February 29, 2024 | archive-date = April 15, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190415183814/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WilsRa20.htm | url-status = live }} After high school, Wilson was signed by Auburn University to play college football, although he ended up not passing his ACT and was unable to attend Auburn. Instead, he went to Pearl River Junior College for two years before transferring to the University of New Mexico where he played for their college football team.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-junior-college-trio/142437946/ | via = Newspapers.com | access-date = March 3, 2024 | type = clipping | title = Junior College Trio Like Future of UNM Football | date = August 9, 1992 | last = Johnson | first = Ed | newspaper = Albuquerque Journal | page = H1 | archive-date = March 4, 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240304023650/https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-junior-college-trio/142437946/ | url-status = live }} During his first season at New Mexico, he was the starting safety for all 11 games and recorded 94 tackles, the 12th most in the Western Athletic Conference that season. He was named a team captain for his senior season.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-heads-up-here-comes/142437922/ | title = Heads Up; Here Comes Ray: Part 1 | last = Latta | first = Dennis | date = August 19, 1993 | access-date = March 4, 2024 | newspaper = Albuquerque Journal | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = D1 | archive-date = March 4, 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240304170530/https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-heads-up-here-comes/142437922/ | url-status = live }}{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-heads-up-here-comes/142437937/ | title = Heads Up; Here Comes Ray: Part 2 | last = Latta | first = Dennis | date = August 19, 1993 | access-date = March 4, 2024 | newspaper = Albuquerque Journal | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | page = D10 | archive-date = March 4, 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240304170353/https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-heads-up-here-comes/142437937/ | url-status = live }}
Wilson split the 1994 NFL season between the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers. He played in the first three games of the seasons for the Saints before being released.{{Cite web | url = https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WilsRa20/gamelog/1994/ | website = Pro-Football-Reference.com | title = Ray Wilson Game Logs | access-date = March 4, 2024 | archive-date = March 28, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160328040743/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WilsRa20/gamelog/1994/ | url-status = live }} After signing to the Packers' practice squad, Wilson was activated to the Packers full squad in late November 1994.{{Cite news | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-for-the-record/142400480/ | title = For the Record | date = November 23, 1994 | newspaper = Wisconsin State Journal | page = 5B | type = clipping | via = Newspapers.com | access-date = March 4, 2024 | archive-date = March 4, 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240304170526/https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-for-the-record/142400480/ | url-status = live }} He played for the Packers for the remainder of the season, although he was inactive to the game day roster for two of the five games that he was on the team.