For some rookies making their NFL regular-season debut, the moment can be a bit too big for them, leading to some jitters and some mistakes.
That wasn’t the case for Pittsburgh Steelers rookie linebacker Payton Wilson.
Wilson, a third-round pick out of North Carolina State, played 24 snaps against the Atlanta Falcons and recorded three tackles, including a key third-down stop on the first drive of the game to potentially save a touchdown.
The athletic linebacker earned quite a bit of praise from teammates after the game, as well as head coach Mike Tomlin.
The praise continued Thursday from defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
“I thought Payton did a heck of a job. You know, the one thing that since he’s gotten here, the one thing that I always thought was he’s a football guy, and I didn’t think it was too big for him,” Austin told reporters, according to the official transcript provided by the team. “And on Sunday, it wasn’t too big for him. And I thought in his 23 or 24 snaps that he had on defense, that he did a really good job.”
Wilson played well in those 24 snaps. Along with the three tackles, Wilson graded out at a 57.2 overall from Pro Football Focus, including a 58.6 against the run and a 57.7 in coverage. Wilson had one run stop on the day and allowed three receptions for just 20 yards.
Arguably the biggest play of the game from Wilson was the tackle of Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson on third down on the Falcons’ first drive of the game. Wilson worked off a block and made the stop in space, saving a potential touchdown in the process.
It was a play that seemingly defied physics.
At this point though, with Wilson’s athleticism and freakish abilities, nothing should be all that surprising.
The moment on Sunday wasn’t too big for him, which was key. We’ll see if he continues to get more and more work. Tomlin stated that might be the case moving forward as Wilson splits snaps with Elandon Roberts. It’ll be interesting to see what Austin has planned for him in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos in the Mile High City.
