The Steelers had a lot of production out of their rookie class in 2024, and chief among those making an impact was linebacker Payton Wilson.
Wilson, the Steelers second selection in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the 98th overall pick, stepped up big, appearing in 17 games, including starting four games.
Wilson finished the season with 72 tackles, 47 of them solo stops, and three tackles for a loss. He had two passes defensed, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, including one against the Cincinnati Bengals that he returned for a touchdown in a 44-38 win at Paycor Stadium.
"I've had the mentality since camp started that I don't want to be looked at like a rookie," said Wilson. "I want to be held to the same standard as someone who has been here for 10 years. I want to know every single thing that's going on, and I want to fly around and play as fast as I can."
Wilson also had an interception against the Baltimore Ravens, which earned him massive praise after he took the ball away from Ravens receiver Justice Hill after what appeared to be a completion and came away with the ball.
"That's an All-Pro play," said fellow linebacker Patrick Queen. "Plays like that, that's not normal. The focus and the ability to know and run with him step for step, that is All-Pro stuff. For a rookie to make a play like that is insane."
Wilson, who was named to the CBS Sports All-Rookie team, made sure he leaned on players like Queen and inside linebacker Elandon Roberts last season to learn everything he could.
"He's got some real solid professionals in his group in Elandon Roberts and Patrick Queen," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "He does a good job of just being a humble guy and coming alongside those guys and learning from them and asking good questions. He is willing to work, but that's often the case with a lot of young guys. They don't have necessarily a template of how they go about their business on a seven-day cycle. But I see the makings of good professionalism in him in that he's a tireless worker, he's legitimately humble, and he listens and follows veteran guys who do it the right way."
Wilson, who played at North Carolina State, was inducted into the school's Ring of Honor during the 2024 season, has a big fan in a well-known N.C. State alumni, former Steelers Coach Bill Cowher.
"His athletic ability speaks for itself," said Cowher. "It's off the charts. You see it in his play. Some people run fast, but they don't play fast. Payton runs fast and he plays fast. He has great cover ability. It's probably made more for today's game than back even 10 or 15 years ago because it's a very wide-open game. It's a game of speed, angles, and understanding the concepts of football. He has all of that. He's proven that with his productivity.
"He has a lot of physical attributes from a speed standpoint, from a coverage standpoint. He can play off the ball, he can play on the ball. He's a smart kid. He can play a lot of different positions. If you're smart, productive, tough and can run, those are great qualities that I saw with the linebackers with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has all those same qualities."
