The Pittsburgh Steelers Select NC State’s Payton Wilson with the 98th Pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected NC State Linebacker Payton Wilson in the 3rd Round of the 2024 NFL Draft, with the 98th overall pick.

With the 98th pick in the 2024 #NFLDraft, we select LB Payton Wilson. pic.twitter.com/ydyirBtb5x

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 27, 2024

Pittsburgh Selects LB Payton Wilson 98th Overall

🟡 89.9 PFF Grade in 2023 (3rd Among LBs) pic.twitter.com/rEijozvd87

— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 27, 2024

DC Teryl Austin spoke to the media about LB Payton Wilson: pic.twitter.com/edPcBg541n

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 27, 2024

RD 3 | PK 98 – Steelers: Payton Wilson LB, NC State

With the 98th overall pick, the @Steelers select the highest rated linebacker by the NGS overall score (82) in this class.

Wilson will look to help a Steelers defense that allowed a league-high 1,713 passing yards in the… pic.twitter.com/f6wgZDig4u

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) April 27, 2024

Hines Ward:
– Missing an ACL
– Drafted in the 3rd rd by the Steelers
– 92nd overall pick

Payton Wilson:
– Missing an ACL
– Drafted in the 3rd rd by the Steelers
– 98th overall pick

You can either see this as a coincidence or proof that the stars have aligned.

— Daniel Valente (@StatsGuyDaniel) April 27, 2024

How on earth Wilson was the 98th player drafted is beyond me. Winner of the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Winner of the Butkus Award, given to the best Linebacker in College Football. Winner of the Bednarik Award, given to the best Defensive player in College football. Unanimous All-American. 3rd best PFF Grade by a Linebacker in 2023. Fastest 40-time by a LB at the NFL Combine.

Yet, he was the 7th Linebacker taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. Absurd.

With that being said, I can’t think of a more fitting place for Wilson to play. He was born to play in the Black and Gold. The Steelers are a blue collar club, who carry a long history of defensive greatness. Wilson plays with reckless abandon, and with his hair on fire, and that’s exactly what you expect out of a Pittsburgh Linebacker.

Maybe I’m showing my cards here…I’m a Pittsburgh Steelers fan…and I can’t believe Payton Wilson will be wearing the Black and Gold this Fall.

Congrats Payton!