University of North Carolina Athletics
My Carolina Experience: E.J. Wilson
September 22, 2015 | Football
My Carolina Experience: E.J. Wilson
By Zoya Johnson, GoHeels.com
Every tale of triumph features a protagonist that has to use their strengths to overcome their obstacles; E.J. Wilson's is one of those. Hailing from the small town of Emporia, Va., the eventual NFL defensive end went to a high school that wasn't very good at football. They were, however, great at basketball and as such the two-sport athlete used that to his advantage.
Wilson was a four-year starter on the basketball team, and a leader of the school's state championship squad in 2003. His success on the court led to football exposure and the rest is history.
Initially Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia were the only schools Wilson was focusing on, as they'd both started recruiting him as a sophomore. UNC found its way into the picture during his junior year when assistant coach Ken Browning visited Wilson's high school. Afterwards, Wilson attended one of UNC's camps over the summer where John Bunting, who was the head coach at the time, offered Wilson a scholarship.
“A little after that I got a picture from the Wake Forest game in 2004, signed by every coach on the staff with a personal note. Once I opened that up I called the coaches at UNC and committed. What that symbolized was a feeling of family and appreciation for my time and talent.”
When Wilson started at Carolina, his football experience had left him feeling more like a freshman in high school than a college player. This limited his initial athletic goal to simply earn playing time. He went from position to position trying to find the right fit and was feeling dejected until Browning suggested he try his hand at defensive end.
Something clicked, and Wilson's goals shifted to learning the intricacies of the new position. That first year was outstanding, so his goal for his sophomore year was to become a starter. Wilson continued to excel until he fulfilled his next goal of becoming a captain, and eventually of being drafted by the NFL.
“Thanks to the coaches at Carolina and the environment of people encouraging me, along with me putting in the work, I actually achieved things that exceeded my wildest dreams.
“Carolina helped make me the person that I am by giving me a sense of pride and accomplishment. I was very childish and immature when I first got there, but the relationships that my experience fostered allowed me to grow alongside others experiencing that same transition, and that taught me about becoming family outside of your blood.
“Experiencing that camaraderie and seeing how people come together, whether for an athletic event or for a cause kind of restored my faith in humanity. With all the things going on in society today its nice to have a place I can go back to where everyone is going to take care of one another.”
Wilson's three years in the National Football League, first with the Seattle Seahawks and then with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, were highlighted by one amazing game where everything seemed to come together only to be cut short by a devastating Achilles rupture that simply would not heal. Though the transition was rough, where most athletes would have been in a financial panic in addition to struggling with the transition from professional player to career man, Wilson simply had to figure out what route to take once he came to terms with the end of his playing days.
He had his degree in exercise and sports science to fall back on and a natural knack for finances that led him to be more than comfortable, regardless of a lack of income. Having been impressed with his financial savvy for years, when Wilson was ready, his financial advisor had him intern with him in New York. That opportunity solidified Wilson's next step but it took some time before he could begin a career.
Eventually it was his best friend, Taikein Cooper, that allowed Wilson's resume to fall into the hands of the recruiter that connected him with the Northwestern Mutual job he currently holds and loves. “ I choose to work with a lot of people in the medical field as well as students just coming out of college who are trying to manage their student loans. I get to take them from stressed about their future to optimistic about their possibilities. I've also become a business owner, and have my own practice, so what more can you really ask for when you couple that with the ability to help people?
“Taikein didn't play sports, so if I had confined myself to just my teammates and not branched out to meet new people I wouldn't have had that relationship for him to be able to help me. Even if you have a chance to play professionally like I did, that career is fleeting. You're going to need something to fall back on and that will be your education, your networking skills, and how well rounded you are as a person.”