Steelers' 3rd-Round Pick Payton Wilson Only Has One Functioning ACL
Most of you reading this probably have something that former NC State Wolfpack linebacker Payton Wilson doesn't have.
Sure, he packs a lot of athleticism in his 6,4", 233-pound frame. He also has a career in the NFL lined up after being the 98th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Most people, including me, can’t compete with that.
Former NC State Wolfpack linebacker Payton Wilson. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
Most of us can, however, say we have two functioning ACLs. And that’s where us regular Joes have the upper hand on Wilson.
To be fair, I wish for Wilson’s sake that that wasn’t the case. Obviously, you’d want all the important parts of your knee structure to be there, and it stinks for Wilson that he doesn’t.
He sustained this injury during his five-year career in Raleigh, which, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, is why he fell to the third round.
Surprisingly, the Steelers are no stranger to working with stars with a missing ACL. In addition to Wilson, two-time Super Bowl champion Hines Ward played with a missing knee ligament.
It’s not like a missing ACL is Wilson’s most notable trait either. Despite all his injuries, Wilson had a monster 2023 season, in which he:
- Recorded 138 total tackles and six sacks
- Won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defender in college football
- Won the Butkus Award as top linebacker
- Was a unanimous All-American and first-team All-ACC selection
- Earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year award
So yeah, this guy is pretty good. And ACL or no ACL, he’s ready to make the most of his shot in the NFL.
"I think when you turn on my tape, I think you can see that I play with my hair on fire," Wilson said after getting drafted on Friday. "And that’s really because of what I have been through. I have seen the game can be taken away from you, so I just play as hard as I can."