Steelers’ DeShon Elliott Shared What Makes Payton Wilson So Special

The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off of one of their better offseasons in recent years, which has the fans from Steeler Nation stoked at training camp in Latrobe. The Pittsburgh offense has caught the most eyes this summer due to the big changes at quarterback and with the coaching staff, but their new additions on defense shouldn't be left unnoticed. The Steelers made some seemingly solid upgrades in their secondary, but their most exciting defensive player this far into training camp has been rookie linebacker Payton Wilson. 

Wilson, who turned 24 this offseason and was drafted out of NC State, was arguably Pittsburgh's biggest steal in the draft. At the 2024 NFL Combine before the draft, Wilson completed a 4.43 second 40-yard dash time, which was first among linebackers. Speed is Wilson's greatest talent, which is why he's such a threat as a linebacker. Teams and analysts around the league were concerned about Wilson's past injuries, which is why he fell so late in the draft and into the Steelers' lap. 

Aside from drafting Wilson, Pittsburgh also picked up DeShon Elliott, safety, in free agency. The Steelers and their secondary have struggled getting reliable help for Minkah Fitzpatrick, but Elliott's presence in the back will fill another weak hole Pittsburgh previously had. After Friday's practice, Elliott was asked about Wilson's development and his maturity as a young rookie who is just getting started. 

"He might be the most mature rookie, when it comes to preparation," Elliott said. "He's a freak athlete, really smart, he learns from his mistakes, and he doesn't repeat it twice. Obviously, I've seen people say he'll be Luke Kuechly or something like that. I think Payton's gonna be Payton. He's gonna be a great player in the NFL."

The rookie linebacker has caught a lot of attention this offseason with his play making ability. Wilson explained that the first few practices at training camp feel a lot better than his time during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) last month. Wilson has typically been one of the first players to hit the field early before practice to get through his warm up routine, displaying his dedication and commitment. 

Wilson has been learning from a great group of linebackers with Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts leading the way. Wilson recently acknowledged their help and assistance to him by claiming he's been a sponge to them at camp. The Steelers have an excellent group of linebackers and an upgraded defensive backs room. This offseason was a job well done by the Steelers' front office. 

Steelers' Pass Defense Looking Much Better After A Shaky 2023 Season

Pittsburgh has had a top of the line unit on defense recently, however their work in the pass defense has held them back from their true potential. The Steelers' 2023 cornerbacks group had a rough start last season, until Joey Porter Jr. was able to ascend as the team's best option. Last year, Pittsburgh started off with Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace as the starting corners, but both of them unfortunately would turn into liabilities. 

The Steelers traded away one of their best wideouts, Diontae Johnson, in order to get an upgrade at cornerback. Pittsburgh got a nice coverage guy in Donte Jackson, who will now be the team's second best corner behind Porter. The additions of Jackson and Elliott will have a huge impact on the Steelers' defense, because opposing teams will have a much harder time completing passes.

The defense has looked solid at practice, not allowing quarterback Justin Fields to get anything done easy. Jackson has been seen covering number one wideout George Pickens, and broke up some passes. The new additions to Pittsburgh's defense has the chance to turn them into the best defensive group in the NFL, which will ultimately help out their offense.

What do you think of Elliott's thoughts on Wilson? How many snaps do you see the young rookie getting behind a duo of Queen and Roberts? Let us know in the comments.

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