Former Wolfpack Linebacker Continuing Strong Season in Pittsburgh
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RALEIGH — During the Dave Doeren era at NC State, the program established a culture of strong linebacker play. Even in the 2025 season, Caden Fordham continued that tradition for the veteran head coach, leading the ACC in tackles. However, one of Doeren's most valuable players continues to thrive at the professional level.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson left the Wolfpack for the NFL following the 2023 season and has quietly become one of the most productive defenders in the league in just two seasons in the Steel City. The former third-round pick continued his impressive 2025 season with another solid performance in the Steelers' win over their division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens.
Checking in on the former Wolfpack linebacker
Before Pittsburgh bounced back with the win over the Ravens, Wilson flew around the field in the team's loss to the Buffalo Bills a week earlier. The linebacker found himself on the field for 72 snaps, 53 of which were defensive plays. He matched his season-high 14 tackles in the loss and continued to separate himself from the rest of the pack at the linebacker position in terms of tackling.
His ability to recognize plays was on display in the win against Baltimore, as Wilson finished with four solo tackles. That pushed his solo tackle total for the season to 64, placing him at sixth in the NFL for that stat. He ranks 11th in the NFL with 109 total tackles. Wilson isn't viewed as favorably by Pro Football Focus, but his impact is widely respected by pundits around the league.
Wilson's impact at NC State can't be understated. The team honored its former linebacker by wearing patches with Wilson's initials and number earlier in the season for a handful of games. That period conveniently lined up with one of Wilson's best performances of the 2025 season, when he helped the Steelers outlast Minnesota in Dublin, Ireland, with a crucial fourth-quarter tackle of wide receiver Jordan Addison.
Should Pittsburgh continue its success for the rest of the regular season, Wilson is likely to get more experience in the NFL postseason. The Steelers lost their AFC Wildcard matchup to Baltimore last season, though Wilson tallied six tackles and was far from the worst of Pittsburgh's problems in that game. The linebacker's alma mater will continue its 2025 season with a trip to the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, Florida, with a matchup against the Memphis Tigers scheduled for Dec. 19.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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