The Pittsburgh Steelers solidified their offensive line with tackle Troy Fautanu and center Zach Frazier in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL draft. Then they selected Michigan’s Roman Wilson to help fill the team’s need at wide receiver. But it’s possible the best selection the Steelers made on the first two days of the draft was NC State linebacker Payton Wilson.
Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer handed the Steelers an A-plus for selecting Wilson at No. 98 overall in the third round. Furthermore, CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso gave the Steelers an A-minus while a variety of other draft experts graded the pick in the A-B range.
Those rave reviews are impressive, but Wilson receiving praise from a future Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker is even better.
7-Time All-Pro Luke Kuechly didn’t hand out a grade for the Steelers drafting Wilson in the third round. But the former linebacker was very complimentary for Wilson while making an appearance on Up and Adams.
“At the draft, I always look at linebackers, and there’s a guy I loved watching for a long time up at NC State — Payton Wilson,” Kuechly told NFL personality Kay Adams, via OgnBurgh on X (formerly Twitter). “He ran extremely well. He was in the 4.4s, and he’s been super productive, and he plays really hard.”
In 2023, Wilson was an AP All-American and won the Chuck Bednarik Defensive Player of the Year award. He also captured the Butkus award, which is given annually to the country’s top college linebacker.
Over five seasons at NC State, Wilson posted 402 total tackles, including 48 tackles for loss and 15 sacks. He also had 7 interceptions and 13 pass defenses.
Up and Adams Compares Payton Wilson to Luke Kuechly
As the retired linebacker continued to praise Wilson, the show listed his measureables along with how Kuechly fared during his NFL combine. Wilson held a slight edge over Kuechly in the 40-yard dash and in height.
That doesn’t guarantee anything for Wilson. But it’s still noteworthy for a lot of draft evaluators and fans because Kuechly made five first-team All-Pros and won the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year award.
“He’s taller than me, and he’s faster than me, and he’s going to be in the NFL,” said Keuchly.
The former linebacker even complimented Wilson for his hair.
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame argued Wilson has first-round talent. Injury concerns, though, allowed him to slip until the third round.
The Fayetteville Observer’s David Thompson reported on January 18 that Wilson underwent 10 surgeries during his college career.
Wilson Plays With ‘Hair on Fire’
The crux of the remaining message Kuechly had on Wilson was essentially that he needed to take advantage of the opportunity the NFL will present him. Wilson sounds ready to do that.
Although the numerous injuries the linebacker went through in college are a significant concern, because of the ailments, Wilson is always thankful for the chance to play.
“I think when you turn on my tape, you can kind of see that I play with my hair on fire,” Wilson said during his introductory Steelers conference call. “I think that’s truly because of what I’ve been through.
“Just really understanding that you can’t take this game for granted because no one in the world knows when that last snap is going to be.”
Wilson will likely contribute on Pittsburgh’s special teams as a rookie. He could also push for early playing time on defense if veteran linebacker Cole Holcomb is not ready for the beginning of the season.
Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts are projected to be Pittsburgh’s two starting inside linebackers to start the 2024 campaign.
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