Payton Wilson LB North Carolina State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Payton Wilson LB North Carolina State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/13/2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.43 seconds (98%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.11 DOB: 04/21/2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | |
| Last Updated: 03/13/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2024 | |
| 40 time: 4.43 seconds (98%*) | |
| Age: 23.11 DOB: 04/21/2000 | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
|
| Overall Rating: | 85.8 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
91% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
75% |
| Run Defense: |
|
83% |
| Coverage: |
|
89% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#57
Position rank:
#5
|
||
| College Games: 45 College Snaps: 2383 | ||
ESPN RATING: 84/100
College Combine Results
|
||
|
OVR Rank:
#55
Pos Rank:
#3
State Rank:
#3
College Combine Results
|
||
|
247 RATING: 97/100
|
||
| Ovr Rank: #79 Pos Rank: #4 | ||
|
RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jamin Davis - Kentucky |
|
92% |
| Jack Campbell - Iowa |
|
74% |
| Troy Andersen - Montana State |
|
73% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Raised in Hillsborough, NC, and an alumnus of Orange HS, the player was a multi-sport standout, excelling in lacrosse and wrestling, winning a state championship in the latter. His commitment to North Carolina State followed a highly successful high school football career where he was recognized as a four-star recruit. Despite facing significant adversity, including two ACL tears—one in his final high school year and another as a freshman at NC State—and a shoulder injury in 2021, his resilience has been remarkable. Across his college career, he's been a formidable presence on the field, evidenced by over 80 tackles and 10 tackles for loss in both 2020 and 2022, and a dominant 2023 season with 138 tackles, 17.5 TFLs, six sacks, and three interceptions, leading to him being named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and winning the Bednarik Award in 2023.Honors & awards
- 2023 Chuck Bednarik Award
- 2023 Dick Butkus Award
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Wilson has enough speed to chase and run in pursuit. He has the overall athleticism to hold up in space when dropping into coverage.
- He can move laterally and chase in pursuit. A tough, violent tackler with a non-stop motor, Wilson also shows good awareness when dropping into coverage.
- Made Bruce Feldman's Freak's List - ranked #48. He wrote " The 6-4, 230-pound former North Carolina state champion high school wrestler has vertical-jumped 36 inches, and coaches say he will “easily” run the 40 in the 4.49 to 4.54 range."
- Elite speed and acceleration, covering sideline to sideline with ease and making him a constant threat in space.
- Impressive agility and fluidity in coverage, able to read the quarterback and make impactful plays on the ball.
- Exceptional tackling ability, combining strong hands and leverage to bring down opponents efficiently.
- High football IQ, showcasing instincts that allow him to be a step ahead of plays and disrupt offensive schemes.
- Robust work ethic and resilience, overcoming significant injuries to return at peak performance levels.
- Versatile skill set, effective in blitz packages and capable of contributing in multiple defensive schemes.
- Strong leadership qualities, proven by his ability to inspire and perform under pressure.
- Excellent at diagnosing plays, with a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- History of significant injuries (including a major ACL issue), raises concerns about long-term durability and availability.
- Leaner frame and below-average length, potentially affecting his ability to shed blocks against larger NFL linemen.
- Occasional over-aggressiveness that can lead to missed tackles or overrunning plays.
- May need to further develop strength to handle the physicality at the line of scrimmage in the NFL.
- As an older rookie, his window for peak performance might be narrower than other prospects.
Scouting Report: Summary
Payton Wilson's draft projection is a complex blend of high-ceiling talent and injury history concern. His college career, punctuated by ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors and a Bednarik Award, showcases his undeniable impact on the field. His athleticism, coverage skills, and sideline-to-sideline speed fit seamlessly into the NFL's demand for versatile linebackers. Despite the injury setbacks, his recovery and performance, especially a standout NFL Combine showing, indicate resilience.
Given his history of ACL and shoulder injuries, these assessments will be critical in determining how high Wilson goes in the draft. However, his performance when healthy, including his remarkable stats in his final college season and athleticism displayed at the combine, suggest he has the potential to be an early Day 2 pick.
Ultimately, Wilson is expected to land somewhere in the second to early third round, with the possibility of going higher to a team that values his unique skill set and believes in his ability to remain healthy. Wilson's journey from a highly touted prospect facing adversity to an NFL draft pick will be a testament to his resilience, making him one of the more intriguing stories of the draft.
Payton Wilson percentiles vs other Linebackers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
Update - 03/13/2024
It's great to see Wilson put on a show at the combine especially considering the adversity he's overcome with two ACL tears and a serious shoulder injury throughout his college career. The medical evaluations will be crucial for him, yet he has managed to compile two years of consistent, injury-free play, with 2023 marking his most impressive season yet. As the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Wilson complemented his outstanding on-field achievements with remarkable combine results. His 40-yard dash time of 4.43 seconds was unmatched, standing as the fastest recorded that day.How other scouting services rate Payton Wilson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
56.1
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
6.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.