Volume ten in our second annual ‘SoFloBulls.com USF Football Highlights Series‘ brings our loyal followers a senior who burst on the scene in 2017: #BayMadeMazzi South Florida defensive back Mazzi Wilkins (@mazzi_inc //@mazzi_incorporated23 ).
In 2017 Wilkins seized his opportunity to hit the field for the Bulls, finishing the season as the No. 1 rated defensive back in the country in passes defended. Mazzi grew into the elite corner Willie Taggart envisioned when he recruited Wilkins as part of the heralded USF Class of 2014 aptly dubbed the #DreamTeam.
The Plant High alumnus was all over the field for the Bulls in a breakout 2017 season, recording 32 total tackles (22 solo), 0.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, nine pass breakups, while defending 12 passes. The senior defensive back will be one of the most proven Bulls with 35 games of experience under his belt and will look to boost his NFL Draft stock in 2018.
The Tampa native played defensive back under Plant High School head coach Robert Weiner where Wilkins tallied 121 tackles, 41 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception in his career as a Plant Panther. Wilkins was named second team All-Hillsborough County in 2013 after posting 67 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery as a senior. Wilkins also helped lead Plant to an 11-2-1 record and Class 8A state semifinals in 2013. (my player profile from 2014)
Wilkins was rated an 84.00 three-star by 247 Sports, three stars by Scout, 73 three-star by ESPN, and 5.50 three-star by Rivals. Wilkins also held offers from UCF, Rutgers, Syracuse, Purdue, Cincinnati, UConn, Ball State and Bowling Green amongst other suitors before opting to end his recruitment and committing to USF.
The ‘SoFloBulls.com USF Football Highlight Series‘ will continue to release an exclusive collection of highlight reels for our die hard USF Football followers, which will be chalked full of Matthew Manuri’s handpicked top plays from the historic 10-2 2017 USF Football season. Stay tuned Bulls fans, next up is the one you’ve all been waiting on: USF G.O.A.T. QB Quinton Flowers!!
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by Matthew Manuri
Publisher & Editor, SoFloBulls.com | @Mcknurkle