NC State’s Payton Wilson returning for another football season
The N.C. State defense got a big boost on Friday with the announcement that All-ACC linebacker Payton Wilson will be returning for his junior season.
Wilson, who led the ACC in tackles with 108, which was the third highest total in FBS. The Orange High School graduate just completed his redshirt sophomore season, but is NFL Draft eligible since he is three years removed from high school.
Instead of testing out the next level, Wilson will return to the Pack, who finished 8-4 this season, falling to Kentucky in the Gator Bowl last weekend. Wilson missed that game with an injury. In the regular season-finale versus Georgia Tech Wilson dislocated both shoulders, but finished the game with a team-leading 11 tackles.
“My ultimate goal is a career in the NFL,” Wilson wrote on Twitter. “But I have some unfinished business left here at NC State. With that being said, I’m coming back for another year.”
Wilson’s breakout performance was against Duke in October. He had 19 tackles and two interceptions to lead the Wolfpack to a 31-20 win. His two interceptions led the team this season. Wilson had 10 tackles or more in seven of the 10 games he played in. He missed the second game of the season at Virginia Tech with a concussion.
N.C. State’s top five tacklers will all return in 2021. Wilson will rejoin a linebacker group that will include senior Isaiah Moore and junior Drake Thomas. Wilson was named first-team All-ACC in his first season as a full time starter. As a redshirt freshman in 2019 he led the team in tackles with 69, despite starting just one contest.
This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 3:10 PM with the headline "NC State’s Payton Wilson returning for another football season."
