Record Watch: What Dent Will Payton Wilson Leave in the NC State Record Books?

Linebacker Payton Wilson made the decision to return to NC State for the 2023 season, and the likely result will be him leaving his mark in the school record books.

Wilson currently has 265 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss and 9 sacks in 3 seasons on the field (I’m not counting the 2021 season in which he played 2 games before suffering a season ending shoulder injury in the 2nd game).

In a world of players leaving for the NFL, and the explosion of the Transfer Portal, breaking into the Top-10 of schools record books will become more and more a thing of the past.

That’s what makes the 2023 season of Wilson’s special. If Wilson stays healthy, the likelihood of him picking up 100+ tackles is high. He did it in 2020 in only 10 games, tallying 108 tackles.

If Wilson matches his career high of 108 tackles again this year, he would bump legendary Bill Cowher out of the way, claiming 7th place in school history.

If Wilson surpasses his 12.5 tackles for loss from last season, he will finish his career in the Top-5 at NC State in tackles for loss.