Steelers Got Incredible Value In Third Round With Linebacker Payton Wilson: 'He Has Top-20 Talent'

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't have a necessarily pressing need at inside linebacker, but took a flier on NC State standout Payton Wilson with the 98th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Wilson was a tackling machine in his final year with the Wolfpack amassing 138 tackles, including 17.5 for a loss. He was awarded the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker and the Chuck Bednarik Award for best defensive player. Wilson has struggled with shoulder and knee ailments in his collegiate career, which caused him to slide down draft boards. 

Pittsburgh went after linebackers Elandon Roberts and Cole Holcomb in free agency in 2023. They rounded out the group with the late signing of Kwon Alexander. Unfortunately, injuries ravaged the group to the point that the team had to get guys literally out of retirement to piece together a starting inside linebacker group. The team made a splash in 2024 free agency, stealing Patrick Queen away from the Baltimore Ravens. 

Holcomb's status for the start of the 2024 season is still up in the air as he recovers from the gruesome knee injury. The team is optimistic about his return, but doesn't have a timeline for it. Wilson, if he can stay healthy, could certainly help fill the void. 

The Athletic's Bruce Feldman put together his top 12 takeaways and heaped praise on the Steelers' newest addition to the linebacker room. He thinks Pittsburgh found a real gem due to his slide down to the third round. 

"It's Wilson going at the end of the third round that really is worth keeping an eye on," he wrote. "He has top-20 talent, and I say that knowing that linebackers don’t typically have that kind of value anymore. Wilson does not have long arms (30 1/2 inches), which is a concern for some coaches, but he flies all over the field. The reason why he lasted to No. 98 — probably 75 picks longer than his ability merits — is because he has one of the most concerning medical histories of any star player in the draft with knee and shoulder issues."

It was revealed during the draft that Wilson doesn't have an ACL in one knee and had torn the other one in high school. He also suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2021. He didn't miss any time during the 2022 or 2023 seasons. 

Feldman stated that if Wilson's knees and shoulders remain healthy throughout his rookie contract, he will undoubtedly be one of the best third-round picks in 2024. Wilson has the talent to be a great player, but his physical well-being is crucial to fulfilling his potential.

Steelers Showing For The Second Year In A Row That Talent Can Trump Medicals

In 2023, monster tight end prospect Darnell Washington of the University of Georgia started to fall down or off teams' draft boards due to concerns with his knees. He was still on the board in the third round when Pittsburgh was on the clock at 95 and the team decided to pull the trigger. They did it fully knowing that Washington's knees could be a major problem in the future.   

Pittsburgh started seeing dividends from their selection of Washington in the 2023 season. While his presence as a blocker was the most pronounced, he contributed to the passing game with seven catches for 61 yards, with four going for first downs. With Arthur Smith joining the franchise, it will be intriguing to see how the new offensive coordinator deploys the mountain of a man. 

The team is banking on getting some return on their investment in Wilson. He could compete for snaps opposite Queen, especially in passing situations early in the season, with Holcomb likely to still be missing. It's tough to find a sweet spot when to take a chance on a talented player with a concerning medical history. Omar Khan seems to have decided the third round is when to take that shot.

Does Wilson's medical history concern you? Do you agree with Feldman that he could be a gem for the Steelers?