Payton Wilson Playing In Dime Packages For Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers got a potential steal late in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft in LB Payton Wilson, who fell due to injury concerns. The 2023 Bednarik Award winner as the best defensive player in college football has a ton of speed and was productive in coverage in his college career, with seven career interceptions and 13 career passes defensed. In OTAs, Wilson said he’s been getting work in dime packages.

“In our dime situations, I’m the backer that’s out there, so being able to cover man, whether it’s a tight end or running back, sometimes even on a slot, just having that faith from coach [Aaron Curry], coach [Teryl Austin] just has been really awesome for me,” Wilson said via Post-Gazette Sports on YouTube.

Wilson said that there’s definitely an adjustment to coverage in the NFL with how fluid guys are in their routes, especially tight ends.

“In college, the tight ends, you have some good ones, don’t get me wrong, but a lot of times they’re blocking tight ends,” he said. “But even Darnell [Washington], he’s 6-8, I don’t know how much he weighs, but he can run a crisp route, he’s pretty fast, so just every single person you go against, every tight end, every running back, you gotta be on your A game.”

There’s always an adjustment period from rookies going from college to the NFL, and with Wilson, he’s learning just how much more talented NFL pass catchers can be. He’s getting good experience early with the Steelers using him in dime, and that’s certainly a role that he could play early in his NFL career.

He’ll be competing for snaps with Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts, but Wilson’s speed and athleticism make him an intriguing piece for the Steelers to use, especially with his coverage ability. He might not see a ton of snaps right out of the gate, but Wilson’s role could grow throughout the year, and he’ll likely be used outside of just a dime backer as the season progresses.

The big question for Wilson’s success in the NFL is whether he can stay healthy after suffering two knee injuries and a serious shoulder injury dating back to high school, but if Wilson stays healthy, he could be one of the biggest steals in the draft. Despite the injury history, he played 47 games at NC State, and he could certainly make an impact for the Steelers as early as his rookie year.