Payton Wilson

 

HISTORY — from college profile

2023 SEASON:

• The winner of the 2023 Butkus Award (nation’s top linebacker).

• The winner of the 2023 Bednarik Award (nation’s top defensive player).

• The 2023 ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

• A unanimous, consensus first-team All-American. He was honored by AP, AFCA, FWAA, Walter Camp and the Sporting News, along with CBS Sports, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, PFF, College Football Network, Bleacher Report.

• Just the fourth unanimous consensus All-American in school history.

• The Butkus National Linebacker of the Month for September.

• Led the ACC and ranked fifth in the FBS in tackles with 11.5 per game.

• Boasted 17.5 TFL for the season - the 10th best mark in school history.

• 138 total tackles was almost double the rest of the team.

• Had a pick six in the win over Clemson, he scored by diving into the endzone.

• Led the ACC in tackles for loss, ranked 10th in sacks and fifth in fumbles recovered, 

• Had two pass breakups on third down in the win over Miami.

• Named the ACC Linebacker of the Week for the UConn, Louisville, Marshall, Clemson and UNC games.

• Has 23 career double-figure tackle outputs, including nine in 2023.

• Led the team in tackles in every game this season except Clemson when he left early with an injury and Wake Forest.

• GPS clocked him at 23.7 miles per hour to chase down the ball vs. Notre Dame.

 

• A finalist for the Nagurski Trophy.

 

2022 (sr): Hard-hitting linebacker who ranked 15th in the ACC in tackles per game... Led the team in tackles at No. 5 Clemson with 11 and at UNC... Ranked third on the squad in total tackles with 83... Tallied 2.5 tackles for loss, including 2 sacks, in the win over Virginia Tech... Left the opener with an injury and missed game two, but came back to play 53 snaps and lead the team in tackles in the win over Texas Tech... A semi-finalist for the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award... Co-recipient of the Ken McNeill Iron Wolf Award, given to the player with the biggest comeback from injury... A second-team preseason All-American according to Athlon... Missed spring practice as he continued to rehab following surgery... A second-team preseason All-American according to Athlon.

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2021 (jr): Suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the loss at Miss. St... Named to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award, Bukus Award and Nagurski Trophy... Also missed 2021 spring workouts after undergoing surgery on both shoulders... Ranked second among all returning Power 5 linebackers in tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage in 2020 with 25. Only teammate Isaiah Moore had a higher mark... A first-team preseason All-ACC choice according to Athlon.

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2020 (soph): A first-team All-ACC performer in 2020 on both the AP and the official league teams... Led the ACC in tackles per game with 10.8 - the first Wolfpack player to do so since 2000. That was the highest tackles per game mark for a Wolfpack player since Earl Wolff in 2012... Ranked fourth in the FBS in overall tackles, 13th in tackles per game... Three-time ACC Linebacker of the Week... Leads all returning ACC players (eighth in the Power 5) in pressure rate with a 17.6% mark (among players with at least 75 pass rush snaps in 2020)... Ranks third among returning ACC LBs (with at least 75 tackle attempts in 2020) in tackle percentage with a 90.3% mark... In 2020, boasted a 7.2% run stuff mark (tackles at or behind the line on designed runs).  That mark ranks second among returning ACC LBs, fifth in the P5... Tallied 38 tackles on pass plays (dropbacks) in 2020, most among P5 LBs. Among the top 30 on the list, only four other players had a better yard allowed/tackle mark... On 22 targets, allowed just 98 yards passing -- 4.5 yards/attempt.  He did not allow a passing touchdown all season and his opponent QBR was 10.8 - tops among ACC linebackers and third in the FBS... Team leader in tackles for loss with 11... Last PoW honor came in the regular season finalé vs. Georgia Tech when he led the team with 11 tackles while playing with two dislocated shoulders... Also led the team with 10 tackles in the win over Syracuse - including the sack on third and goal that sealed the win... Named ACC LB of the Week for that performance against the Orange... Ranked ninth in the league in tackles for loss (11.5)... Pulled down two interceptions in the win over Duke. He was the first Wolfpack player with a pair of INTs in the same contest since Jerod Fernandez picked off No. 1 Florida State twice in the 2014 matchup... Finished with a team-high 19 tackles vs. the Blue Devils, the most for a Pack player since Earl Wolff had 19 vs. Clemson in 2012... Named the ACC LB of the Week for that performance... A fourth-team preseason All-ACC choice according to Athlon.

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2019 (redshirt fr): Led the Wolfpack in tackles even though he came off the bench in all but one game that he played in... Leading tackler for the Wolfpack at Wake Forest with 11, he tied for the team lead vs. Florida State (7) and also led the team vs. UNC... 14 tackles vs. UNC tied as a team-high for the season... Earned his first career start vs. Clemson - he left early with an injury and missed the Lousiville contest... Named a preseason freshman All-American by the FWAA.

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2018 (fr): Suffered a second knee injury in the summer and underwent surgery... Enrolled at NC State in January of 2018, but missed spring drills as he rehabbed from a high school knee injury.

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High school: Played OLB at Orange High School for coach Van Smith...  Career Stats: Tallied 266 tackles, 70 TFLs, 24 sacks, two interceptions... Senior Stats: Made 103 tackles, including 21 for loss and 10 sacks, plus a pick-six, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery... Also rushed 67 times for 222 yards and five scores and pulled down 15 receptions for 263 yards and four TDs... Compiled  754 all-purpose yards... Junior Stats: Had 127 tackles, 39 tackles for loss and 13 sacks... Honors: Named the Raleigh News & Observer’s Player of the Year and the Male Athlete of the Year/ Also named Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year... A team captain... Selected to the U.S. Army All-American Game... Also invited to the Shrine Bowl... Won a state championship in wrestling and also played lacrosse. In lacrosse, was named Big 8 all-conference and all-metro... Rankings: No. 67 prospect nationally by 247sports.com. No. 4 outside linebacker nationally and No. 3 prospect in North Carolina. A 4-star recruit by both rivals.com and 247sports.com.

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PERSONAL

A high school lacrosse player - he once scored six goals in one game.  He was also a state wrestling champion... Brother Bryse is a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.... Major: Graduated in December of 2022 with a degree in education.