The Pittsburgh Steelers selected NC State LB Payton Wilson with the 98th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, the second of the team’s two third-round selections. The Steelers showed plenty of interest in the inside linebacker position during the pre-draft process, having LB Coach Aaron Curry go to several Pro Days to work out prospects while doing their due diligence by having both Michigan LB Junior Colson and Wilson come in for pre-draft visits.
GM Omar Khan said at the Combine that inside linebacker was a position that they wanted to address. The Steelers managed to make a splash signing with former Baltimore Ravens LB Patrick Queen in free agency, but the value to draft a player of Wilson’s caliber late in the third round was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up to continue to add to the room.