One of the most intriguing players in the Pittsburgh Steelers draft class is third-round pick Payton Wilson, who could play a role as Pittsburgh’s dime linebacker as a rookie. Inside linebackers coach Aaron Curry met with the media during day two of mandatory minicamp and praised Wilson for being a football junkie. Curry also said that Wilson’s speed reminds him of Bobby Wagner.
“Pre-draft, my note on him was he’s a football junkie. And he really is. He meets, he wants to be right, he takes constructive criticism properly. He wants all the answers. He’s gonna study tape on his own, he’s gonna come in with questions, he’ll spend all day in the building if you let him. He’s a football junkie, a high football character guy, he’s fun to coach,” Curry said via Steelers.com.
Curry, who coached with the Seattle Seahawks before joining the Steelers ahead of the 2023 season, said that Wilson’s speed reminds him of Wagner.
“My background, spent a lot of time with Bobby Wagner. Bobby played fast like that, so seeing that speed, it’s really exciting because you know there’s gonna be some plays that only his speed can make. So I’m excited. I’m looking forward to those opportunities for him.”
Curry added that Wilson can do “everything we ask him to do.”
Wagner is a 10-time All-Pro, and while it’s a lofty comparison, Wilson does have game-changing speed for a linebacker. He was considered to be among the best, if not the best, inside linebackers in the 2024 NFL Draft but fell due to injury concerns, and the Steelers nabbed a potential steal at No. 98 overall if Wilson can stay healthy.
At the start of the season, he’ll likely wind up behind Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts on the depth chart but could work in dime and nickel packages. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him wind up with a bigger role later in the season. His athleticism sets him apart from most other inside linebackers in the league, and he also brings a lot of pop when he hits. By signing Patrick Queen earlier this offseason, the Steelers showed they were committed to improving their inside linebacker room and drafting Wilson was another sign that the Steelers wanted an upgrade.
The room could have even more talent if Cole Holcomb is ready for the start of the season, and Mike Tomlin said that Holcomb could participate in training camp. Holcomb suffered a torn ACL in Week 9 last season, and his status was up in the air, but adding him to a group with Wilson, Queen, and Roberts could make the group really talented and really deep.
Wilson is the rookie I’m most excited to see hit the field, and Curry’s Wagner comparison, at least when it comes to their speed, does nothing to quell that excitement. Wilson could wind up being a really talented player for the Steelers, and I’m excited to see how his career starts.
