‘A lot to live up to’: With Payton Wilson in the NFL, NC State defense has plenty to prove

N.C. State’s revamped offense is expected to take a step forward after last season, while some analysts and media members believe the defense will take a step back after it lost linebacker Payton Wilson to the NFL. The Wolfpack refuses to believe that narrative.

The Pittsburgh Steelers took Wilson with the 98th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“Of course, we take it a little bit personally,” fifth-year defensive end Davin Vann said at ACC Kickoff. “It’s understandable. A lot of people think that ‘cause we lost Payton we lost our whole defense. That’s definitely not the case.”

Wilson provided key leadership and 138 total tackles in 2023, neither of which the team takes for granted, but it can’t rely on him anymore.

Cornerback Brandon Cisse said each player has to step up in his absence, because it’s not like Wilson’s success carries over.

“That’s not how this game works. We’ve got to be able to make our own success,” Cisse said. “(There’s) definitely a chip on our shoulder, because we see everybody talking about, ‘This defense is going to be mediocre because we don’t have Payton Wilson.’ Trust me, we’re going to be just as good as ever.”

N.C. State returns 19 lettermen on defense, including Cisse, Aydan White, Sean Brown, Red Hibbler and Bishop Fitzgerald.

Six of the top 10 tacklers from 2023 — who accounted for 294 tackles — returned for another year. Those players also recorded nine of the team’s 17 interceptions, 18 quarterback hurries and 21 pass breakups.

The defense also adds multiple key transfers — see Tamarcus Cooley and Corey Coley Jr. — and more than a dozen freshmen.

Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson and his staff deserve a lot of credit, the players say. They didn’t change the standard when N.C. State lost Isaiah Moore. Their guidance led Drake Thomas into a bigger role. The same happened when Thomas left for the NFL; a finally-healthy Wilson showed his full capabilities.

Gibson has been nominated for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach, in the last three seasons. N.C. State is the only ACC program possessing the same defensive coaches for five years.

“We have a standard here on defense. We’ve been top-20, top-25 defense for the last three years. Those guys have a lot to live up to,” Gibson said last week. “We don’t hide behind it. I put it out there to them and then challenge them. ‘Here’s what was built before you.’ Our goal is to be better than what we were a year ago. Can we do that? There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, but I feel really good about these guys.”

Brown is expected to fill the gap left by Wilson. Vann, Hibbler and Travali Price hope to move up the depth chart at defensive end.

“I’ve been really excited to keep on working with Coach Gibby,” Price said. “You know, he pushes everybody, and he’s not going to let you slack. No loafs on the field.”

“We’re working to be better than we were last year. There’s no fall off. That’s why we’re all in there, focusing on the weight room,” Price said. That’s why we’re eating right. That’s why we’re focusing on the things that we need to focus on.”

N.C. State opens the season at home on Aug. 29 when it hosts Western Carolina. It was picked to finish No. 4 in the ACC Preseason Poll.