Before he was hired as the Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator, Dennard Wilson served as the defensive backs coach with the Baltimore Ravens.
In his lone season with the Ravens, Wilson helped guide Baltimore to the No. 6 pass defense in the NFL and aided in the development of standout second-year safety, Kyle Hamilton. In addition, the Ravens’ defense finished first in passer rating allowed.
While attending the Pro Bowl Games, Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com had a chance to talk to multiple Ravens who played under Wilson in 2023 and all of them had nothing but great things to say and each provided some insight into who Wilson is.
Here’s a look at the quotes Wyatt compiled:
LB Patrick Queen
“A great guy, hella smart,” Queen said. “He just knows everything that is going on on the field, run game, pass game. He’s just an all-around guy, and he’s going to make sure everything is down pat for the defense, so everybody knows what they are doing, and everybody is on the same page. He won’t stop until he gets it done.
“From Day One with us, you could tell how he rolls, how he carries himself, how he gets everybody together. He always had everybody on the same page. It’s no surprise he got the (DC) job (in Tennessee).”
S Kyle Hamilton
“D-Will is a super smart dude,” Hamilton said. “He helped us out a lot this year. We wouldn’t be where we’re at without him. We didn’t give up a lot of big plays, and that was due a lot to his scheme and his ideas. He was working very close with our DC.
“He jokes around a lot, but he knows when it’s business time as well. … He’s going to try and create smart guys, and let them be confident and go out there and make plays.”
LB Roquan Smith
“Just the amount of knowledge he has about the game, and the way he motivates his players day in and day out,” Smith said. “He is always finding just the smallest tendencies. Human beings are creatures of habit, but he finds them and makes sure the players know. He lets players know what is important and what’s not important.
“I think he’s a versatile guy, will play multiple coverages. And when you just look at it over time, man, everywhere he’s gone, in a sense you’ve seen the defense improve in the secondary. I am happy for him, and I am happy that he is able to showcase what he’s able to do when he has control over the entire defense.”
“I think he’s going to be great,” Smith added. “I’m jealous Tennessee got him. I wish I had more time with him. But I’m also very happy for him because I know he’s going to do amazing things.
“I am surprised he is just now getting (a DC job). I figured he’d get it a little while ago, looking at his track record and how he goes about things.”
