De'Runnya Wilson

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = De'Runnya Wilson

| image = De'Runnya Wilson 20141108.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Wilson in 2014

| current_team =

| number =1,81

| position = Wide receiver

| birth_date = {{birth date|1994|9|14}}

| birth_place = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|1|21|1994|9|14}}

| death_place = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lbs = 218

| high_school = Birmingham (AL) Wenonah

| college = Mississippi State

| undraftedyear = 2016

|highlights=

Second-team All-SEC (2015)
First-team Parade All-American (2013)
Alabama Mr. Basketball (2013)

|pastteams=

Albany Empire ({{AFL Year|2018}})*

}}

De’Runnya S. Wilson{{Cite web|url = http://www.hailstate.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=208658474&DB_OEM_ID=16800|title = De'Runnya Wilson bio|date = |accessdate = October 15, 2014|website = HailState.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} (September 14, 1994 – January 21, 2020) was an American football wide receiver. He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Early life

Wilson attended Wenonah High School in Birmingham, Alabama, where he was primarily a basketball star, earning first-team Parade All-American honors in 2013. He joined the football team in his senior season, when he caught 31 passes for 682 yards and helped lead the Dragons to a 10–2 season.

On the hardwood, he helped lead the Dragons to three consecutive state championships and was named the 2013 Alabama Mr. Basketball.{{Cite web|url = http://highschoolsports.al.com/news/article/-7224014931937337370/wenonahs-derunnya-wilson-wins-mr-basketball-hoovers-marques-webb-named-miss-basketball/|title = Wenonah's De'Runnya Wilson wins Mr. Basketball; Hoover's Marqu'es Webb named Miss Basketball|date = April 4, 2013|accessdate = October 15, 2014|website = AL.com|publisher = |last = |first = }}

Wilson was rated as a three-star football recruit by 247sports.com,{{Cite web|url = https://247sports.com/Player/DeRunnya-Wilson-24342/?Institution=5895|title = De'Runnya Wilson|date = |access-date = October 15, 2014|website = 247sports.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} Rivals.com,{{Cite web|url = https://sports.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-De'Runnya-Wilson-143797|title = De'Runnya Wilson|date = |accessdate = October 15, 2014|website = Rivals.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} and Scout.com.{{Cite web|url = http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=6564515|title = De'Runnya Wilson|date = |accessdate = October 15, 2014|website = Scout.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} He chose to attend Mississippi State over offers from Auburn, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Louisville, Tennessee, and UAB.

College career

=Freshman season (2013)=

Wilson made his debut in the first game of the 2013 season, catching 2 passes for 17 yards in a 21–3 loss to Oklahoma State in the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff.{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/332430197|title = J.W. Walsh helps No. 13 Oklahoma State beat Miss. State|date = August 31, 2013|access-date = October 15, 2014|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} Wilson's first touchdown came on a 59-yard pass from Tyler Russell against LSU.{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/332780344|title = No. 10 LSU pulls away to beat Mississippi State|date = October 5, 2013|access-date = October 15, 2014|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} Wilson had a breakout game against Texas A&M, catching 7 passes for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns.{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/333130245|title = Johnny Manziel throws 5 TDs, 3 interceptions in Texas A&M's win|date = November 9, 2013|access-date = October 15, 2014|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }}

After the football season ended, Wilson played on the Bulldogs men's basketball team. He appeared in 7 games, scoring 6 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.{{Cite web|url = http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/16800/stats/mbk/201314/teamcume.htm|title = Mississippi State 2013–14 Season Statistics|date = March 14, 2013|accessdate = October 15, 2014|website = HailState.com|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234723/http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/16800/stats/mbk/201314/teamcume.htm|archive-date = March 3, 2016|url-status = dead}}

=Sophomore season (2014)=

Wilson started every game at receiver for the Bulldogs in 2014. He had four catches and a touchdown in each of the Bulldogs' wins over top 10 teams LSU,{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400548386|title = Dak Prescott leads Mississippi State to first win at No. 8 LSU since 1991|date = September 20, 2014|access-date = October 15, 2014|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} Texas A&M,{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400548377|title = Dak Prescott accounts for 5 TDs in Miss. State's rout of Texas A&M|date = October 4, 2014|access-date = October 15, 2014|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} and Auburn,{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400548369|title = Dak Prescott, No. 3 Mississippi State knock off No. 2 Auburn|date = October 11, 2014|access-date = October 15, 2014|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} helping lead the Bulldogs to the #1 ranking. Wilson came on strong at the end of the season, having 8 catches each in losses to Alabama{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400548338|title = No. 5 Tide lock down on D to knock off top-ranked Mississippi State|date = November 15, 2014|access-date = |website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} and Ole Miss.{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400548324|title = No. 19 Ole Miss topples No. 4 Mississippi State in Egg Bowl|date = November 29, 2014|access-date = |website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} He followed it up with 9 catches and 2 touchdowns in the Orange Bowl.{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400610180|title = Justin Thomas' four total TDs lead Georgia Tech over Mississippi State|date = December 31, 2014|access-date = |website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} Wilson was the 2014 Bulldogs' leading receiver in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.{{Cite web|url = http://www.hailstate.com/fls/16800/stats/fb/2014/teamcume.htm|title = Mississippi State 2014 Season Statistics|date = October 15, 2014|accessdate = October 15, 2014|website = HailState.com|publisher = |last = |first = }}

Wilson was listed on the 2014–15 men's basketball roster,{{Cite web|url = http://www.hailstate.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=90867&SPID=10994&DB_OEM_ID_COUNT_=2&DB_OEM_ID_1_=16800&DB_OEM_ID=16800&DB_OEM_ID_0_=16800&Q_SEASON=2014|title = Mississippi State 2014–15 Roster|date = |accessdate = May 16, 2015|website = HailState.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} but did not appear in any games.{{Cite web|url = http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/16800/stats/mbk/201415/teamcume.htm|title = Mississippi State 2014–15 Season Statistics|accessdate = May 16, 2015|website = HailState.com|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150512030152/http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/16800/stats/mbk/201415/teamcume.htm|archive-date = May 12, 2015|url-status = dead}} Wilson's career as a basketball player was over, as it turned out later.{{Cite web|url = http://www.clarionledger.com/story/mississippistatesports/2015/01/05/msu-rick-ray-derunnya-wilson-plan-nfl-wr/21301989/|title = Rick Ray's plan for De'Runnya Wilson: to play in the NFL|date = January 5, 2015|accessdate = May 16, 2015|website = ClarionLedger.com|publisher = The Clarion-Ledger|last = Bonner|first = Michael}}

=Junior season (2015)=

Wilson had 8 catches and a touchdown in a 21–19 loss to LSU.{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400603865|title = Leonard Fournette goes for 3 TDs to help LSU fend off Mississippi State|date = September 12, 2015|access-date = October 5, 2015|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} He had 102 yards and 2 touchdowns in a rainy 31–13 win over Missouri{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400548017|title = Dak Prescott throws four TDs to lead Mississippi State past Missouri|date = November 5, 2015|access-date = November 6, 2015|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }} and a career-high 10 receptions in a 51–50 thriller over Arkansas.{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400603922|title = Late block helps Mississippi State hold off Arkansas 51–50|date = November 21, 2015|access-date = November 21, 2015|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = |first = }}

Wilson ranks 5th in school history with 133 receptions, 6th with 1,949 yards, and 2nd with 22 touchdowns.

=College statistics=

rowspan="2"\| Season ! rowspan="2"\| Team ! rowspan="2"\| GP ! colspan="5"\| Receiving
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
2013	Mississippi State \| 13 \|\| 26 \|\| 351 \|\| 13.5 \|\| 59 \|\| 3
2014	Mississippi State \| 13 \|\| 47 \|\| 680 \|\| 14.5 \|\| 44 \|\| 9
2015	Mississippi State \| 13 \|\| 60 \|\| 918 \|\| 15.3 \|\| 48 \|\| 10
colspan="2"\| Career	39	133	1,949	14.7	59	22

Professional career

On January 1, 2016, Wilson declared for the 2016 NFL draft.{{cite tweet |user=robbiefaulk247 |author= Robbie Faulk |number= 682954059033219072|date= January 1, 2016|title= MSU wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson plans to declare for the NFL Draft. Wilson announced on Instagram he's played his last MSU game.}} He had drawn comparisons to Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson,{{Cite web|url = https://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/90457/bear-force-1-takes-off-for-mississippi-state|title = Bear Force 1 takes off for Mississippi State|date = October 10, 2014|access-date = October 8, 2014|website = ESPN.com|publisher = |last = Scarborough|first = Alex}} Carolina Panthers receiver Kelvin Benjamin,{{Cite news|url = https://www.si.com/college-football/2014/10/07/mississippi-state-inside-access|title = Mississippi State rising: A week behind the scenes with the Bulldogs|date = October 10, 2014|accessdate = October 15, 2014|newspaper = Sports Illustrated|publisher = |last = |first = }} and Baltimore Ravens tight end Darren Waller.{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/de'runnya-wilson?id=2555481 |title=NFL Events: Combine Player Profile – De'Runnya Wilson |author= |work=NFL.com |accessdate=June 3, 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229224639/http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/de'runnya-wilson?id=2555481 |archive-date=February 29, 2016}} Wilson participated in the NFL Scouting Combine but went undrafted, gaining only a workout with the Chicago Bears in October of that year.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2016/10/nfl-workout-updates-falcons-eagles-raiders-lions-ravens-jaguars | title=NFL Workout Updates: 10/4/16 | publisher=profootballrumors.com | date=October 4, 2016 | accessdate=March 21, 2018 | author=Robinson, Dallas}}

On March 20, 2018, Wilson joined the Albany Empire of the Arena Football League as a free agent, but never played a game as the team placed him on recallable reassignment a week later.{{cite web | url=http://www.arenafan.com/teams/Albany_Empire-238/transactions/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329020434/http://www.arenafan.com/teams/Albany_Empire-238/transactions/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 29, 2018 | title=Team Transactions | publisher=arenafan.com | accessdate=March 28, 2018}}

Death

On January 21, 2020, Wilson was found shot to death inside his Birmingham, Alabama home. He was 25 years old.{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2020/01/my-brother-was-a-legend-derunnya-wilsons-family-seeks-answers-in-fatal-shooting.html|title= De'Runnya Wilson's family seeks answers in fatal shooting|first=Carol|last=Robinson|work=al.com|date=January 23, 2020|accessdate=January 23, 2020}} Wilson was the father of five children.