While NC State’s Payton Wilson adds to resume, he's still eager to improve 

Right before NC State graduate linebacker Payton Wilson stood at the podium inside the Close-King Indoor Practice Facility on Wednesday, it became known that he was named the Butkus National Linebacker of the Month. 

And just prior to the first question being aimed at Wilson, someone in the room mentioned, “he does play like Butkus.”

While that observation was made, it’s fitting for the Hillsborough, N.C., native, who has been the heart and soul of NC State’s defense this fall. He has paced the Wolfpack this fall with a team-leading 56 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks. 

Wilson has been the recipient of multiple honors this month, including ACC linebacker of the week twice, but he, in his usual self, downplayed the recognition. 

“It’s pretty cool,” Wilson said of the honors. “I don’t put too much into awards. I’m here where my feet are at every day, but it’s cool to get your name out there. Credit to coach Gibson and all the other guys that are playing around me — they’re playing their tails off and he’s one of the best coaches in the nation.”

Wilson’s approach has seemed to work through his five seasons in Raleigh. This fall marks the third season that he has played in defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Tony Gibson’s defense and his position coach had high praise for Wilson. 

Gibson noted the leadership qualities and the fact that Wilson does everything he’s asked to do by the staff. But the biggest thing that jumped off the page has been Wilson’s dominant play this season. 

“Right now, I don’t know if there’s a better defensive player in the country, in my opinion, than the level that he’s playing at right now,” Gibson said. “I know he’s not satisfied with where he’s at or where we’re at, so I look forward to watching him keep getting better as this year goes on.”

Wilson leads the ACC in total tackles, but a few of his biggest plays have been pass breakups at the line of scrimmage — both of which denied an opportunity for a streaking tight end down the field. 

The first came in the Wolfpack’s 45-7 rout of VMI, while the second occurred this past week in NC State’s 13-10 loss to Louisville. While he’s okay with making those plays, Wilson said it shows room for the defense to improve.

“Making those plays, they’re exciting, but they shouldn’t have even been there,” Wilson said. “We should have had someone on that. We just have to continue to work on our eyes and learn the defense.”

In addition to his pass defense, Wilson has found success as a pass rusher in the middle of the Pack’s defense, including two against Louisville. 

And similarly to how he downplayed his awards, Wilson credited his defensive line with making it easier for him to make plays.

“This is definitely the best D-line I’ve ever played with in my life,” Wilson said. “They’re unlike any D-linemen I’ve ever played with. They’ve got the highest motor I’ve ever seen on a D-lineman. It’s pretty easy to make plays behind guys like that.”

While Wilson and the defense held Louisville without any points — and just 13 total — Friday night, he said the unit has to do its job, no matter what the Wolfpack’s offense does. NC State’s offense did not score in the second half, but Wilson said that shouldn’t affect how his side of the ball plays in a game. 

“No matter what happens over there, we’ve got to do our job,” Wilson said. “And if they don’t score, they don’t win. That’s the mentality that we have, and that’s the mentality that coach Gibson instilled into us. He says it all the time, no matter what happens on the offensive side of the ball, we have to do our job and we have to play 11-man football every play.”

With Marshall on the schedule this weekend, NC State will have six ACC games to round out the season. This weekend’s game is an opportunity for the Wolfpack to launch themselves into ACC play on the right foot. 

And Wilson noted the importance of that.

“This game right here is super important,” Wilson said. “Every game is super important, but this one, you’d like to have a win going into ACC ball to have some momentum. So when we get to back-to-back ACC games, we’re in a rhythm and we’re flowing. You don’t want to start back from zero when you get to ACC ball.”