Leading up to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason opener against the Houston Texans, there was plenty of anticipation and excitement for Steelers rookie linebacker Payton Wilson, who was expected to see quite a bit of playing time.
That turned out to be the case Friday night against the Texans in the 20-12 loss, and, as expected, Wilson was all over the field making plays.
In his Steelers debut, Wilson was all over the field, finishing with a team-high seven tackles and one tackle for loss.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stated that he wasn’t surprised by Wilson’s performance, adding that it was largely what he has shown at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe during training camp.
“You know, I thought he did some really good things. The tackle on punt there early. He was active on defense,” Tomlin told reporters following the preseason opener, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “But I think it’s kind of reflective of the production that we’ve seen from him in Latrobe. I don’t know that any of us are surprised by it.
“I thought it was a good start, individually, for him.”
Coming out of North Carolina State as the Butkus and Bednarik award winners in the 2023 season for the Wolfpack, Wilson was considered one of the best linebackers in the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite the great size, athleticism and elite-level testing numbers, Wilson fell to the Steelers in the third round due to medical concerns.
The Steelers felt comfortable enough to snag him with the 98th overall pick, adding that size, speed and production to the rebuilt linebacker room that featured the signing of second-team All-Pro Patrick Queen in free agency, pairing him with veteran Elandon Roberts.
Since joining the Steelers, Wilson has opened eyes and generated praise from teammates and coaches alike.
Queen called Wilson a “whole ‘nother animal” on the field, while veteran Tyler Matakevich called him ” a freak” due to his speed and athleticism.
That has shown up time and again on the practice fields in Latrobe where NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger called Wilson the best player on the field defensively during the practices he attended. That’s high praise.
It wasn’t empty praise, either, as his showings during training camp translated to the field against the Texans.
We’ll have a film room in the coming days on Wilson’s debut, but at first blush, Wilson lived up to the hype and is a player that Steeler Nation should be very excited about moving forward.
