Payton Wilson
Third-round pick, No. 98 overall
ILB, N.C. State
6-4, 233
Stats: Capped injury-marred career at N.C. State by starting 23 games over final two seasons. He ranked fifth nationally with 138 tackles in 2023. Totaled 17.5 tackles for loss and had six sacks and three interceptions.
Hometown: Hillsborough, N.C.
Tidbits: Older brother Bryce Wilson was a former pitcher for the Pirates (2021-22), and Payton attended games at PNC Park. … Missed his freshman season in 2018 with a knee injury that also nagged him in high school. He missed all but two games of the 2021 season because of a shoulder injury. … Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds at NFL Combine, the fastest time this year among linebackers. … His play as a sixth-year senior earned Wilson the Bednarik Award as top defensive player. He also won the Butkus Award as the country’s top linebacker. … He was ACC defensive player of the year and first-team All-American. … Got in trouble in 2019 when he was arrested for having a fake ID, underage drinking and injury to personal property.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.