The Jets may want to acquire a three-down linebacker similar to NC State’s Payton Wilson in order to potentially
replace CJ Mosley, even if Quincy Williams and Mosley appear to be the team’s linebacker tandem. Here are some of
his contributions.
Height: 6041
Weight: 234
Hand Size: 9
Arm Size: 30 1/8
Wingspan: 76 1/8
Hometown: Hillsborough, NC
High School: Orange HS
Year: Senior
DOB: April 21, 2000
Recruit: 4-Star recruit per 247 sports.
Film Study
Games Watched: Boston College (2023), Wake Forest (2023), Marshall (2023), Texas Tech (2022), North Carolina
(2022).
Tackling: Wilson is a reliable tackler at linebacker but has a reputation for being a little too aggressive at times. Over
the previous several seasons, he has been called for unnecessary roughness. Teams will appreciate the effort, but he
needs to get better at adhering to the guidelines.
- Play Recognition: Top notch. JetNation spoke to Wilson in Mobile, AL during Senior Bowl week and he talked about learning great habits from former NFL great Luke Kuechly who has become somewhat of a mentor to Wilson
- Run Defense: Not afraid to come downhill in the box to stuff the run while showing the ability to get anywhere on the field faster than most linebackers in this class.
- Pass Coverage: It’s Wilson’s ability to cover at his size that teams are bound to love. Has the ability to be an every down sideline to sideline ‘backer. Effort is off the charts.
- Lateral Mobility/Athleticism: One of the more athletic ‘backers in this class, how he tests in Indy will go a long way in determining where he goes on draft day. Expect him to finish near the top in multiple categories.
- Bend/Flex: Plenty of bend and flexibility to be a factor off the edge as evidenced by his 17 tackles for loss in 2023.
- Strength: Good enough but some room for improvement here. Will want to get stronger to take on NFL linemen.
- Versatility: Wilson can play all over the formation and hold his own in just about any role you could hand to a linebacker.
- Football IQ: A product of watching over ten hours of film on a regular basis, Wilson is often seen reacting to a play before it gets off the ground.
- Leadership: Leads by example. Relentless effort on every single play comes from having missed time in the past leading to an appreciation for every snap possibly being your last. “You never know” when you’ll step on the field for the final time was the way Wilson phrased it in Mobile.
- Durability: Payton Wilson had a spate of serious ailments early in his collegiate career before playing in 23 games and missing only one over his two seasons with the Wolf Pack.
- In conclusion, Payton Wilson’s draft status will rise above what it would have been the previous year if he returned to school to demonstrate to scouts that he could maintain his health. Anticipate a strong performance from him in Indianapolis, as he is a versatile player who can have a significant impact in both coverage and run defence. Get more related updates on…
- sportupdates.co.uk
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