Told there’s belief he’s going to 'skyrocket' in '25, Steelers’ Payton Wilson: ‘I 100% agree’

Payton Wilson is nothing if not confident as he embarks on his first pro season as a full-time starting inside linebacker.

A few days after proclaiming himself, “one of the better cover linebackers in the world,” Wilson had a similarly cocksure response when told that teammate Malik Harrison said Wilson was “going to skyrocket this season.”

“I mean,” Wilson said matter-of-factly on Tuesday, “I 100% agree with him.”

2nd-yr LB Payton Wilson loves how much man defense the Steelers play: “I feel like I’m one of the best cover linebackers in the world, to be honest with you.” pic.twitter.com/Qo3rm3l426

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) July 24, 2025

The second-year Steelers inside linebacker has the hardware to back up his boasts. The 2023 Bednarik (nation’s top defensive player) and Butkus (nation’s top linebacker) award winner while getting named ACC defensive player of the year at N.C. State, Wilson as a rookie last year had the fifth-best coverage grade in the NFL among inside linebackers. That was while playing fewer than half the Steelers’ defensive snaps and just a tad more than half the coverage snaps of every-down linebacker teammate Patrick Queen.

Wilson is an unquestioned starter next to Queen this season after the Steelers allowed veteran Elandon Roberts to depart in free agency. And considering Wilson’s strength is in his coverage, it’s possible Wilson takes over Queen’s third-down roles — or, alternatively, the Steelers stick with having two inside linebackers on the field for virtually every down of the season.

“That’s my goal,” Wilson said of never leaving the field. “I want to be out there with (Queen) every single snap. Last year, ‘PQ’ played literally every snap. It was kind of cool to see after the games how, like, dog tired he was and how much he put on the line for the team.

“I just want to be able to do the same thing. When I walk out to that field, I want to be able to say that I gave it everything that I completely had, (that) the coaches trusted me fully, and I (that) played the whole game.”

Queen did just that last season — 17 times. After signing the biggest contract as an external free agent in Steelers history, Queen played every defensive snap of every game in his debut season with the team.

He did so with Roberts next to him 44% of the time and Wilson 45% of the plays. This season, Wilson is likely to rarely leave Queen’s side.

That’s left Queen longingly envisioning what he and his new full-time running mate can accomplish together.

“Some great things,” Queen said. “I texted him (last week) and said, ‘Are you ready? Let’s do it.’

“The sky is the limit for us.”

Wilson, on the short list of potential breakout players for the Steelers this season, has plenty of eyes on him at camp. Coach Mike Tomlin singled Wilson out (along with veteran running back Kenneth Gainwell) as a player he most anticipated watching in the annual “backs on backers” drill that was to debut Tuesday but was postponed after rain washed out practice.

“Payton Wilson, in his second year, is a guy that’s working to be dominant,” Tomlin said.

Tomlin during this camp has repeatedly referenced the emphasis on covering opposing pass-catchers and being able to trust defenders to man up on receivers, tight ends and running backs. Wilson has the potential to join Queen as players who can be trusted in man-to-man on the latter two categories.

“Athletic linebackers are an asset — and certainly, Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson are very capable from a linebacker perspective,” Tomlin said.

That aligns with Wilson’s proclamation he can be the best in the NFL as a linebacker in coverage that he made last week on the day of the first practice of camp. And with Harrison’s similar proclamation two days later.

“Payton is probably one of the best cover linebackers in the league,” said Harrison, who has a reputation as a run-stopping linebacker and signed a two-year, $10 million contract in March. “I feel like in Year 2, (Wilson) is going to just skyrocket up and be one of the top linebackers.

“Just seeing him last year and just seeing him practice, OTAs and other things, he’s real athletic, he can move, he can run.”

Wilson already had the abilities. But in 2024 as a rookie, Wilson now acknowledges he was too tentative as he felt his way through the pro game. Now, as he has made obvious, Wilson has the confidence in what he’s doing.

“Now, knowing the defense like the back of my hand, I’m getting back to just playing the game rather than thinking the whole time or worrying about making a mistake,” Wilson said. “Now it’s just about making the plays and making the big plays rather than worried about being wrong.”