An in depth and complete scouting report and draft prospect profile of NC State Linebacker Payton Wilson for the NFL Draft.

Prospect: Payton Wilson

School: NC State

Age: 23 (24 on Draft Day)

Payton Wilson Measurables:

• Height: 6’4” (NFL Combine)
• Weight: 233 (NFL Combine)

• 40: 4.43 (NFL Combine)- 1/15
• 10 Yard Split: 1.54 (NFL Combine)- T-1/15
• Vertical Jump: 34.5” (NFL Combine)- T-6/17
• Broad Jump: 9’11” (NFL Combine)- T-6/17
• Side Notes:
  • 5 lbs lighter at Combine that ESPN listed
  • Wilson’s 40 time was much faster than he shows on tape

Tape Watched: Notre Dame x2, Wake Forest

Prospect Grade: 63% with upside

Projected Draft Day: Rounds 2-3

Player Comparison: Lower end Drew Sanders

Best Team Fits: Pittsburgh Steelers

Payton Wilson Player Summary:

The  Positives

• Experienced, 6 years at NC State
• Extremely high effort player
• Plays inside and outside
• Understands gap assignment and gap filling
• High IQ player
• Sets a strong edge
• Not raw, but upside is there

The Negatives

• Medicals could scare teams

• More often than you think when he fills a gap the lineman just kinda washes him out
  • Needs to consistently be more aggressive block shedding
• When engaged in blocks he can lose track of where the back/ball is
• Most of the time he tackles very high
• Limited man coverage tape
• Plays smaller than he is

Payton Wilson is probably the most experienced linebacker in this year’s class, and you can tell he’s a high IQ player. He’s been at NC State for 6 years. He’s versatile, despite the amount of off the ball he plays, he’s a true OLB who just happens to play off the ball well. He sets a strong edge in the run game. He’s not necessarily “raw”, but you can tell there is upside there. Wilson though does need to be more consistently aggressive against blockers and needs to be more aware while engaged. 

Updated 3/7/24:

• Combine numbers and rank added to measurable portion of profile
• Grade changed from, “63%” to “63% with upside”
• Projections switched from “Day 2, Fringe 1” to “Rounds 2-3”
• Negatives added
  • Medicals could scare teams
  • Plays smaller than he is
• Other notes:
  • His speed showed more on rescout
  • Nothing really changed in rescout of Wilson. All points made, stand true.