Kyle Wilber

Early years

Wilber attended Apopka High School where he was a Class 6A all-state third-team selection as a senior, after finishing with 55 tackles (10 for loss), four sacks and a fumble recovery. He also practiced wrestling and weightlifting.

At Wake Forest University he was a 4-3 defensive end until his sophomore season, when there was a change in the defensive scheme and he was moved to the 3-4 Will linebacker position, appearing at that position in 5 games with 18 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and a blocked field goal.

The next year, he began the season at defensive end before being moved back to linebacker, posting 65 tackles (third on the team), 6 sacks (led the team), 14.5 tackles for loss (led the team), one quarterback pressure, 4 passes defensed and 2 blocked kicks.

As a senior, he recorded 70 tackles (second on the team), 3.5 sacks (tied for the team lead), 11.5 tackles for loss, 3 quarterback pressures, 3 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one pass defensed and one blocked kick. He finished his college career with 13.5 sacks (sixth in school history), 35.5 tackles (ninth in school history) for loss, 195 tackles (thirteenth in school history), 6 forced fumbles and 4 blocked kicks in 43 career games.

Professional career

Wilber was drafted in the fourth round (135th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He was originally intended to play the Sam linebacker position in defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's 3–4 defense. His progress was slowed after breaking his left thumb in the first preseason game and not being active until week 3 of the regular season. Because of injuries to the linebacker corps, he was also tried in a nickel role, but could not handle the assignment. He finished with 6 special teams tackles and 3 on defense.

The next year defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin was hired to change the defense to a 4-3 alignment, so he was switched back to his college position (defensive end), with the plan of using him as DeMarcus Ware's backup. He added 15 pounds, but could not maintain consistent playing time even with a defensive line that lost many players to injury. Out of necessity, the team was forced to play him at sam linebacker in place of an injured Justin Durant. After tallying 11 tackles and 2 sacks in the first 10 games, the move allowed him to earn a starting position and register 31 tackles (two for loss) in the final six games of the season.

In 2014, during the preseason he was tried at linebacker and defensive end. In the regular season, he was used mainly in a reserve pass-rusher role (only 3 starts), finishing with 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 passes defensed, one quarterback pressure and one fumble recovery. After being passed on the depth chart by rookie Anthony Hitchens, his best game came in the playoffs against the Detroit Lions, where he played 23 snaps at sam linebacker, making a key third-quarter interception and a pass deflection.

In 2015, he appeared in all 16 games and started 6 contests at strongside linebacker, coming off the field in obvious passing situations. He recorded 27 tackles (one for loss), 4 quarterback pressures and 2 passes defensed. On special teams he tied for the team lead in tackles (9) with Jeff Heath and Damien Wilson and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown in the second game of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles.

On March 11, 2016, Wilber signed a two-year contract to remain with the Cowboys.

In 2016, he began the season as the starter in the base defense at strongside linebacker, before being passed on the depth chart by Damien Wilson in the seventh game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He left the Cincinnati Bengals contest with a neck injury, that forced him to miss the next game against the Green Bay Packers. He remained a core special teams player and had a critical forced fumble and recovery against the Minnesota Vikings during a punt return, that helped the Cowboys regain the lead and win the game. Against the Detroit Lions he recovered a fumble that was forced on a sack by David Irving.