Former NC State LB Payton Wilson ‘headed into the most important season of my life’

After a whirlwind three months since NC State’s Pop-Tarts Bowl appearance, former NC State linebacker Payton Wilson returned to the Close-King Indoor Practice Facility with football cleats in hand Tuesday afternoon. 

The ACC Defensive Player of the Year was back on campus for the Pack’s annual Pro Day, which featured 42 professional scouts from the NFL and Canadian Football League. For Wilson, it meant a lot to be able to showcase his skills alongside several of his teammates.

“It was cool to be out there and see all my teammates,” Wilson said. “We’ve been off training in different places. Just to see them excel, it was good to be back with everyone.”

While he impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month, he still took part in the on-field drills alongside his teammates. 

But why would Wilson, a consensus second-round pick, go through the drills? He wanted to put his love for the game on full display. 

“I love football,” Wilson said. “The position drills are a lot different than running a 40, jumping a vert. I think I move really well, I feel like I’m one of the better linebackers around the country in movement, so any time anybody wants to do that, I’m all up for it. I’ll go until they want to stop.”

Wilson competed in the shuttle and linebacker-specific drills in front of the NFL scouts, which appeared to take extra interest each time he stepped into a particular movement. The various scouts were keen on what Wilson was doing, and rightfully so, as he was following his standout combine performance. 

The Hillsborough, N.C., native ran the fastest 40-yard dash time of any linebacker at the combine this year with a 4.43, while he was also in the top 10 in broad jump (8th, 9’11’’) and vertical jump (9th, 34.50).  

“I knew what the situation was going in, kind of fighting for LB1, the first linebacker taken off the board,” Wilson said of the combine experience. “Everyone said that I had an amazing day. I felt like I was the best movement linebacker there and obviously the 40 speaks for itself.”

The feedback he got from the NFL teams he met with at the combine was glowing. They all want him to play as an off-ball linebacker, either at MIKE or WILL. Which one depends on the team that he ends up being drafted by and the specific need they have for him on their defense. 

But before Wilson hears his name called in April’s NFL Draft, he has six top-30 visits with teams around the country, including the Carolina Panthers. 

The Panthers, Wilson’s hometown team, are an interesting team that has its eye on the linebacker. He grew up idolizing former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who recently had high praise for Wilson. 

Wilson was honored to hear the rave review Kuechly had for him. 

“I think every linebacker should try to be Luke Kuechley, considering he was the best to ever do it,” Wilson said. “Obviously, his career was shortened due to injuries, but if he had the longevity that other linebackers have had, there would be no discussion of who was the best linebacker ever.”

Ironically enough, Wilson has learned from the Panthers legend over the last couple of years and some of that knowledge helped the linebacker have a career-best season with the Wolfpack this past fall. 

Wilson logged a career-high 138 total tackles with 17.5 for a loss, six sacks and three interceptions en route to the Bednarik (best defensive player) and Butkus (best linebacker) awards this season. 

“Everything he’s told me is some of the reasons I played the way I did this year,” Wilson said. “Just very thankful for him. The high praise he has for me means a lot because I grew up watching him. To me, he’s the best football player I’ve ever watched.”

While Wilson could be the next Kuechly for the Panthers, he may end up elsewhere. The one thing he does know for certain is that he will bring his best football to whichever team takes him in the draft.

But until then, he is going to keep training to be prepared for rookie minicamp in a couple months. 

“I feel like I’m headed into the most important season of my life,” Wilson said. “Wherever I go, I want to show up in great shape, and just continue to be the player that I was this past year.”