Payton Wilson’s trip to the NFL Combine could solidify second-round grade
Throughout the pre-draft process, there has been one common theme when it comes to former NC State linebacker Payton Wilson’s evaluations: his durability is a concern.
Wilson, who spent six seasons with the Wolfpack, suffered a torn ACL during his senior year at Orange High. Once he arrived in Raleigh, he had a second knee injury, which led to a redshirt campaign during his freshman season.
He also suffered a season-ending shoulder injury at Mississippi State, the second game of his junior year, in 2021.
But despite the multiple injury-laden seasons, Wilson has impressed when he has been on the field. He logged 83 total tackles with 4.5 sacks and an interception during the 2022 season, which led to a semifinalist nod for the Comeback Player of the Year Award.
That season looked good on paper, but Wilson was able to top that during his final year with the Wolfpack this past fall. He led the ACC with 138 total tackles, including a conference best 17.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, six passes defended, three interceptions and a forced fumble.
Wilson’s breakout graduate season placed him on the national radar and he won the Butkus (best linebacker) and Bednarik (best defensive player) Awards this fall, while he was a finalist for the Nagurski (best defensive player).
Not a bad year.
It turned heads in the NFL world, and talent evaluators like what they have seen on the field. But that injury question mark remains the key drawback when it comes to Wilson’s scouting report.
“I love him as a player,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah told TheWolfpacker.com Thursday. “That’s going to be everything with the evaluation, it’s just going to come down to what does that look like from a health standpoint. The tape is really, really good. … At the Senior Bowl he was what I saw on tape, just a ton of speed, range, he can cover. He’s got some physicality to him, you could kind of see him take control out there.”
As Jeremiah mentioned, Wilson took part in the Reese’s Senior Bowl earlier this month, and he continued to dazzle. Wilson ended up as one of Jeremiah’s top 10 performers from the week of practice in Mobile, Ala.
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Now, Wilson will get back in front of scouts at the NFL Combine next week, and he will be one of three NC State players in attendance — center Dylan McMahon and long snapper Joe Shimko will also be in Indianapolis.
Jeremiah, who has Wilson at No. 47 in his first iteration of his top-50 NFL draft prospects, compared the linebacker to Kiko Alonso, a 2013 second round pick by the Buffalo Bills that spent 10 years in the league.
While Jeremiah is looking forward to seeing Wilson back on the field during the combine, he noted that the combine will come down to the medical evaluation for the hard-hitting linebacker. If everything checks out well, Wilson projects to be an early day two pick, Jeremiah thought.
“I know he’s fast. I don’t need to see him run,” Jeremiah said. “I know he can cover and move in space. Really, to me, it’s what he’s going to get out of the medicals there. If you get the OK from those people, I think he’s a second-round pick. I think he’s that type of player.”
Jeremiah’s grade for Wilson seems to track with what some other NFL draft experts believe. Pro Football Focus had Wilson selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 41st overall pick in its post-Super Bowl mock draft. Chad Reuter, NFL.com’s draft reporter, had Wilson going to the Philadelphia Eagles with the 71st overall pick, a third-round selection.
Wilson and the linebackers will hit the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday afternoon and it will be televised on the NFL Network, beginning at 3 p.m.
