The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2024 draft class was universally praised by experts following the draft, primarily for getting excellent value on just about every pick based on consensus.
Perhaps their biggest steal was NC State linebacker Payton Wilson. The Steelers picked Wilson 98th overall, much lower than his talent would suggest he would be selected. The 2023 Butkus Award winner impressed as a rookie, finishing fourth on the team in total tackles with 78 while playing excellent coverage.
With Elandon Roberts now a Raider and questions surrounding the rest of the Steelers' linebackers, Wilson could be the next star of the defense. Pro Football Focus analyst Jonathon Macri made the case for the young defender to be the next great Steelers' linebacker.
Payton Wilson tabbed as Pittsburgh Steelers breakout star for 2025
Of all the young players on the Steelers, it's hard to make a better breakout case for 2025 than Payton Wilson. Among the Steelers' second-year players, he has the right combination of strong play as a rookie but also plenty of room to grow.
You could make the argument that center Zach Frazier is more likely to ascend near the top of his position, but he was already one of the best centers in the NFL as a rookie. How much could he truly break out?
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Wilson, however, played only about 45% of the Steelers' defensive snaps, often trading places with the run-stuffing Elandon Roberts. Now that he and 2024 free agent pickup Patrick Queen are the undisputed top linebackers, Wilson could play significantly more snaps in 2025.
He has already displayed elite coverage ability, ranking sixth in coverage grade according to PFF. His run defense still needs refining, but Pittsburgh letting Roberts out the door suggests he may be ready to show out in that area as well.
With the linebacker position getting harder and harder to develop in the NFL, the Steelers should feel lucky to have found a legitimate starter as late in the draft as they did. Now, it's time to see if they can get even more out of Wilson in 2025.