Several Pack Pros Put Together Solid Week 14 Performances

While NC State's 2025 season is nearly wrapped up after finishing 7-5 and earning a bid to the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, Florida, many former members of the Wolfpack program are aiding their NFL teams in their quest for the postseason.

As the professional season winds down, several Pack pros put together impressive Week 14 performances, ranging from Payton Wilson of the Steelers to Jakobi Meyers of the Jaguars.

On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, host and lead beat writer Tucker Sennett walks you through the performances of several Pack pros who dominated the NFL, including a few who could help their team make some serious noise come the NFL Playoffs in January after securing some monster divisional victories on Sunday.

Watch the latest episode

Why Payton Wilson stood out

Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson finished his Wolfpack career and departed for the NFL following the 2023 season. He has quietly become one of the most productive defenders in the league in just two seasons in Pittsburgh. 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.

Before Pittsburgh recovered with the win over the Ravens, Wilson flew around the field in the team's loss to the Bills a week earlier. The linebacker found himself on the field for 72 snaps against Buffalo, 53 of which were defensive plays. He matched a season-high 14 tackles in the loss and separated himself from the rest of the pack at the linebacker position in the tackling category.

Wilson's play-recognition talent 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, getting him to 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.

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.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.