Ever since Pro Bowl linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a career-ending spinal injury in 2017, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking for a linebacker to fill the void. They may have found one... and I'm not talking about Patrick Queen.
While Queen is coming off the best two-game stretch of his brief Steelers career, there's another linebacker who is making quite the splash. Payton Wilson, a third-round draft choice in 2024, is already off to a phenomenal start as a rookie. His performance against the Baltimore Ravens included the highlight play of the game.
In the fourth quarter, as Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense tried to answer back, Wilson followed running back Justice Hill down the seem and came up with one of the most miraculous interceptions you will see all year.
WHAT A PLAY @payton_wilson21‼️
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 17, 2024
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Though this appeared to be a perfect pitch and catch from Jackson to Hill, Wilson somehow managed to get his arm between Hill and the football and take it away. As both players went to the ground, it was Wilson who came down with the football for a pivotal fourth-quarter takeaway.
While Wilson has seen his snaps decrease in recent weeks, his performance has only gotten better. In Week 11, Wilson recorded a spectacular 92.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. This led all players on the team (albeit it came on just 21 defensive snaps).
Payton Wilson could be the next Ryan Shazier for Steelers
With Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts playing some of their best football this season, Payton Wilson has been an afterthought at times. But the future is bright in Pittsburgh thanks to the rookie phenom.
This interception wasn't a fluke, as splash plays have been in Wilson's vocabulary since his college days. At NC State, Wilson raked in seven interceptions to go with 50 tackles for a loss, 15 sacks, and a defensive touchdown.
In a part-time role halfway through his rookie season in Pittsburgh, what we've seen from Wilson is only the tip of the iceberg. Many NFL Draft analysts believed Wilson deserved to be a first-round pick in the 2024 draft if not for his scary medical history and the lack of an ACL in one knee.
With the way Wilson moves on the field, you would never even guess medical scares were an issue. At 6'4'' and 233 pounds with 4.43 speed and an outstanding feel for the game, the sky is the limit for Payton Wilson.
The spectacular rookie is already giving off Ryan Shazier vibes and he could quickly develop into a Pro Bowl linebacker if he keeps making plays like he did against the Ravens.