Pittsburgh Steelers third-round pick Payton Wilson is stepping into an inside linebacker room with some established players. Elandon Roberts solidified himself as a quality starting option in 2023 while the team added former Baltimore Ravens LB Patrick Queen in free agency.
While Wilson may not be in line to start immediately, he recognizes the opportunity he does have. That’s to learn from veteran linebackers who have experience in the rigors of the NFL.
“Just learning from these guys is gonna be amazing,” Wilson said after Day 1 of rookie minicamp per video from Aaron Becker. “Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, guys that have really proven themselves in the NFL. I mean, what better situation can I ask for to come in and compete with some of the best in the game as well as learn from them?”
Playing alongside Roberts and Queen will help Wilson acclimate to the NFL and playing against pro-level offenses. Those linebackers will be invaluable to Wilson’s development, and he recognizes that already.
Plus, the Steelers are in a situation where they don’t have to depend on Wilson coming in and starting immediately. Roberts and Queen are the penciled-in starters as they should be. Wilson will get time to both learn from them and compete with them on the field this summer. How quickly Wilson can put his athleticism to good use will determine just how soon he sees the field once the games are real.
Regardless of when that comes, Wilson has said he’s going to give Steelers fans “everything that I possibly can give”. Based on how he played in college, especially his final season at NC State, that’s quite a lot. Steelers fans will love his aggressive play coming downhill as well as his speed to play sideline to sideline. He can impact the game both against the run and the pass.
In 2023, there was no college linebacker better than Payton Wilson. He’s the Dick Butkus Award winner for a reason. However, there’s a massive step up in competition from college to the NFL. It doesn’t matter what school you played for, there will be an adjustment period. He sees this as the best situation for him to develop and prepare to be an impact linebacker.
