By: Chad Wilson – Owner – AlleyesDBCamp.com
IG: @alleyesdbcamp
We all know that Prime Time is the GOAT but many of you may not know the person I consider to be the 2nd best defensive back of all time and he goes by the name of Charles Woodson.
Woodson was a standout three sport star at Ross High School in Freemont, Ohio. He graduated from the school as the all time leader in rushing yards and scoring. He was also his team’s starting point guard and ran track. Among the many awards he won as a senior in high school was Mr. Football Ohio. It was a shock when Woodson, an Ohio native, chose Michigan as his school but the reason was simple. Every school, including Ohio St., was recruiting Woodson as a running back but the future Hall of Famer wanted to be a defensive back. That would be the first of many wise decisions he would make during his football career.
At Michigan, Woodson would start as a freshman and lead the team with 5 interceptions. He was responsible for a total of eight takeaways enroute to being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. In year two, Woodson set the Wolverines record for pass break-ups with 15 and was a Jim Thorpe Award finalist. His junior season would be the most memorable. Woodson would intercept a career high 7 passes, while adding 231 yards receiving and three touchdowns while playing part time on offense. At the end of the season, Woodson would become Michigan’s 3rd ever winner of the Heisman Trophy beating out Tennessee’s Peyton Manning. Woodson is the only primarily defensive player to win the award.
After three great season’s at Michigan, Woodson declared for the draft and was selected 4th overall by the Oakland Raiders in 1998. For the next 18 seasons, Woodson would go on to be one of the most dominant defensive players in the game. Woodson was the NFL rookie of the year in 1998, a 9 time Pro-Bowler, 4 Time All Pro – First Team. He led the NFL in interceptions in 2009 and 2011. He was named to the NFL’s all Decade Team for the 2000’s. He also was a Super Bowl champion while playing for the Green Bay Packers in 2010.
Woodson was known for his lockdown coverage as a cornerback and high IQ when playing safety. He used his athleticism and intelligence at both positions to become one of the best playmakers in NFL history. Woodson retired in 2015 with 65 interceptions, 33 forced fumbles, 155 passes defensed, 20 sacks and a ridiculous 13 defensive touchdowns. In 2020, Woodson will be inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame. There’s no doubt about it. Not bad for a former high school running back turned DB.
Chad Wilson is the owner of All Eyes DB Camp and author of "101 DB Tips". He played college football at the University of Miami and briefly in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks. Over his 15 year high school football coaching career, he tutored over a dozen Division I defensive backs and as a trainer has worked with NFL All Pros, first round draft picks, college football All Americans and Top 10 ranked high school football prospects.
