The Giants knew they were getting a gifted athlete when they selected running back David Wilson in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. They expected him to become a breakaway runner, and they marveled at Wilson’s physical talents — even if Tom Coughlin told him to stop doing backflips after scoring touchdowns.
Wilson was forced to retire prior to the 2014 season because of a serious neck injury, coupled with the worrisome diagnosis of spinal stenosis. Wilson bravely walked away and said he wanted to pick up a track career that he left behind at Virginia Tech, stating as a goal the 2016 Summer Olympics.