Football Announces Defensive Back Addition
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – (June 29, 2023) - West Virginia University football coach Neal Brown has announced that Anthony Wilson, a 5-10, 200-pound, redshirt junior defensive back from Columbia, South Carolina, has signed a grant-in-aid and will transfer to WVU from Georgia Southern. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Anthony Wilson, r-Jr., DB, 5-10, 200, Columbia, South Carolina/Spring Valley/Georgia Southern
2022 (r-So.) – Georgia Southern
Played for coach Clay Helton at Georgia Southern
An honorable mention All-Sun Belt selection (coaches)
Started all 13 games and was on the field for a team-high 1,023 defensive snaps
Finished second on the team with 101 tackles from his safety position
Had 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss, five pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble
One of six 100-tackle performers in the Sun Belt
Got the start in the opener against Morgan State, posting three tackles, a pass break up and a quarterback hurry
Finished with five tackles, including half a sack, in the win at Nebraska
Registered seven tackles, including one for loss, at UAB
Had eight tackles, including half a tackle for loss, against Ball State
Recorded nine tackles and a pass breakup against Coastal Carolina
Finished with nine tackles and a forced fumble at Georgia State
Had 11 tackles, including a sack, along with the game-sealing interception, in the win over No. 25 James Madison
Had eight tackles and a pass break up in the win at Old Dominion
Posted five stops against South Alabama
Finished with seven tackles and a pass break up at Louisiana
Registered nine tackles, a pass break up and a quarterback hurry against Marshall
Led the team with 11 tackles in the overtime win over App State
Had eight tackles and a fumble recovery in the Camellia Bowl against Buffalo
2021 (r-Fr.) – Georgia Southern
A third-team All-Sun Belt selection
Named to Phil Steele’s third-team All-Sun Belt squad
Started all 12 games and played 793 total snaps (team-high 762 on defense, 31 on special teams)
Led the team with 78 tackles, including a sack and 4.5 tackles for loss
Had a team-high nine pass breakups in addition to a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry
Got the start in the opener against Gardner-Webb, leading the team with six tackles
Had three tackles and a forced fumble at Florida Atlantic
Finished with a tackle, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry at Arkansas
Posted eight tackles against Louisiana
Recorded five tackles, including half a stop for loss, and a pass break-up against Arkansas State
Led the team with 11 tackles, including a sack, at Troy
Registered five tackles and a pass breakup at South Alabama
Had seven tackles and two pass break ups against Georgia State
Led the Eagles with 10 tackles, including two for loss, against Coastal Carolina
Recorded eight tackles and two pass breakups in the win at Texas State
Had nine tackles and a pass breakup against BYU
Finished with four stops, including half a tackle for loss, at Appalachian State
Made the Honor Roll in the fall for posting above a 3.0 GPA
2020 (COVID): Georgia Southern
Played in 12 games, starting 11 and saw action on 770 total snaps (721 on defense, 56 on special teams)
An honorable mention All-Sun Belt Conference selection by the league and Pro Football Focus
Recorded 67 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and half a sack, along with an interception and seven pass breakups
Missed the opener, but returned to play 56 total snaps against Louisiana
Had six tackles and a pass breakup against the Ragin’ Cajuns
Got his first start at ULM, recording four tackles
Had four tackles and a pass breakup against Coastal Carolina
Picked up seven tackles, including one for loss, against South Alabama
Had four tackles, including half a stop for loss, and two pass break ups against Troy
Racked up 11 tackles at Army West Point
Led the team with 12 tackles at Georgia State
Tied for the team lead with seven tackles against App State
Tallied six tackles, including one for loss, and an interception against Louisiana Tech in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
2019 (Fr.) – Georgia Southern
Played in two games but was still able to redshirt
Saw action on 17 special teams plays
Made his collegiate debut against ULM, playing three snaps on special teams
Played 10 special teams snaps against Georgia State
Named to the 2019-20 Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll for maintaining a 3.0-3.49 GPA
High School
Played at Spring Valley High for coach Robin Bacon
Selected for the 82nd annual Shrine Bowl
Cited as the best two way player in the Midlands by The State Newspaper
Named the 2018 Mr. Richland County Football Player of the Year
Had 68 tackles and two interceptions while rushing for 281 yards and eight scores as a senior
Ranked as one of the top 50 players in South Carolina
Named first-team all-state and first-team all-region as a defensive back for the 5A level
Nominated for the South Carolina Defensive Player of the Year and South Carolina Running Back of the Year by South Carolina High School Blitz
Played freshman season at Hammond, helping the team win a state championship
Named first-team all-state as a running back for the 3A level as a sophomore
Personal
Son of Anthony Wilson and Teshia McSwain
One of four children (2 brothers, 1 sister)
Graduated with this bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Georgia Southern in 2023
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – (June 29, 2023) - West Virginia University football coach Neal Brown has announced that Anthony Wilson, a 5-10, 200-pound, redshirt junior defensive back from Columbia, South Carolina, has signed a grant-in-aid and will transfer to WVU from Georgia Southern. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Anthony Wilson, r-Jr., DB, 5-10, 200, Columbia, South Carolina/Spring Valley/Georgia Southern
2022 (r-So.) – Georgia Southern
Played for coach Clay Helton at Georgia Southern
An honorable mention All-Sun Belt selection (coaches)
Started all 13 games and was on the field for a team-high 1,023 defensive snaps
Finished second on the team with 101 tackles from his safety position
Had 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss, five pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble
One of six 100-tackle performers in the Sun Belt
Got the start in the opener against Morgan State, posting three tackles, a pass break up and a quarterback hurry
Finished with five tackles, including half a sack, in the win at Nebraska
Registered seven tackles, including one for loss, at UAB
Had eight tackles, including half a tackle for loss, against Ball State
Recorded nine tackles and a pass breakup against Coastal Carolina
Finished with nine tackles and a forced fumble at Georgia State
Had 11 tackles, including a sack, along with the game-sealing interception, in the win over No. 25 James Madison
Had eight tackles and a pass break up in the win at Old Dominion
Posted five stops against South Alabama
Finished with seven tackles and a pass break up at Louisiana
Registered nine tackles, a pass break up and a quarterback hurry against Marshall
Led the team with 11 tackles in the overtime win over App State
Had eight tackles and a fumble recovery in the Camellia Bowl against Buffalo
2021 (r-Fr.) – Georgia Southern
A third-team All-Sun Belt selection
Named to Phil Steele’s third-team All-Sun Belt squad
Started all 12 games and played 793 total snaps (team-high 762 on defense, 31 on special teams)
Led the team with 78 tackles, including a sack and 4.5 tackles for loss
Had a team-high nine pass breakups in addition to a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry
Got the start in the opener against Gardner-Webb, leading the team with six tackles
Had three tackles and a forced fumble at Florida Atlantic
Finished with a tackle, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry at Arkansas
Posted eight tackles against Louisiana
Recorded five tackles, including half a stop for loss, and a pass break-up against Arkansas State
Led the team with 11 tackles, including a sack, at Troy
Registered five tackles and a pass breakup at South Alabama
Had seven tackles and two pass break ups against Georgia State
Led the Eagles with 10 tackles, including two for loss, against Coastal Carolina
Recorded eight tackles and two pass breakups in the win at Texas State
Had nine tackles and a pass breakup against BYU
Finished with four stops, including half a tackle for loss, at Appalachian State
Made the Honor Roll in the fall for posting above a 3.0 GPA
2020 (COVID): Georgia Southern
Played in 12 games, starting 11 and saw action on 770 total snaps (721 on defense, 56 on special teams)
An honorable mention All-Sun Belt Conference selection by the league and Pro Football Focus
Recorded 67 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and half a sack, along with an interception and seven pass breakups
Missed the opener, but returned to play 56 total snaps against Louisiana
Had six tackles and a pass breakup against the Ragin’ Cajuns
Got his first start at ULM, recording four tackles
Had four tackles and a pass breakup against Coastal Carolina
Picked up seven tackles, including one for loss, against South Alabama
Had four tackles, including half a stop for loss, and two pass break ups against Troy
Racked up 11 tackles at Army West Point
Led the team with 12 tackles at Georgia State
Tied for the team lead with seven tackles against App State
Tallied six tackles, including one for loss, and an interception against Louisiana Tech in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
2019 (Fr.) – Georgia Southern
Played in two games but was still able to redshirt
Saw action on 17 special teams plays
Made his collegiate debut against ULM, playing three snaps on special teams
Played 10 special teams snaps against Georgia State
Named to the 2019-20 Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll for maintaining a 3.0-3.49 GPA
High School
Played at Spring Valley High for coach Robin Bacon
Selected for the 82nd annual Shrine Bowl
Cited as the best two way player in the Midlands by The State Newspaper
Named the 2018 Mr. Richland County Football Player of the Year
Had 68 tackles and two interceptions while rushing for 281 yards and eight scores as a senior
Ranked as one of the top 50 players in South Carolina
Named first-team all-state and first-team all-region as a defensive back for the 5A level
Nominated for the South Carolina Defensive Player of the Year and South Carolina Running Back of the Year by South Carolina High School Blitz
Played freshman season at Hammond, helping the team win a state championship
Named first-team all-state as a running back for the 3A level as a sophomore
Personal
Son of Anthony Wilson and Teshia McSwain
One of four children (2 brothers, 1 sister)
Graduated with this bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Georgia Southern in 2023
