It is always a fun tradition to track which player walks onto the field first at training camp. Rookie ILB Payton Wilson has been that guy for each of the first two practices.
“I’m not really the one that’s like, ‘Hey guys, I’m first,'” Wilson said in a video posted by YardBarker’s Aaron Becker on X. “It’s just I have a routine that I live by and I’m gonna do it. Whatever time I need to be here, I’m gonna be here.”
About 35 minutes before the start of practice on Friday, Wilson was already on the field beginning his routine.
Maybe it is his extensive injury history that has forced him into a rigid routine of upkeep on his body, or perhaps he just has that mentality that nobody will outwork him.
Whatever it is, veteran players are taking notice.
“He might be the most mature rookie, I would say, when it comes to preparation,” DeShon Elliott said in a video posted by Becker on X. “He’s a freak athlete, really smart, learns from his mistakes, and doesn’t repeat them twice. I think down the line he can be a great player.”
Some of that maturity might be the fact that Wilson is a 24-year-old rookie. He spent six seasons at NC State, but two of those were robbed from him by injuries. If it wasn’t for those injury issues, he may have been out of reach for the Steelers by the time they addressed other positions of need and decided it was time to draft a linebacker.
Back at the Senior Bowl, I got the opportunity to interview Payton Wilson after practice, and he talked about the lengths he has gone to ensure he stays healthy. Here is what he had to say:
“I had to find a good balance between nutrition and maintenance programs and then also just knowing what weight I can play at to stay healthy and still play the way that I wanted to play.”
He has found a lot of value in having a rigid routine with his nutrition and body upkeep to keep himself healthy. It largely worked during his last two seasons of college football. He played 23 total games and only missed a game or two due to minor injuries.
While Elliott said he can be a good player “down the line,” he appears to be in line to fill the dime linebacker role in sub-package football this season. His speed, coverage, and ability to get after the quarterback on the blitz could all be assets to the team as a rookie. A good performance in that role could see his snaps with the base defense increase rather quickly.
Once the pads come on, I think Wilson is going to be an instant fan favorite.
