Raiders 2024 NFL Draft: 5 biggest winners from Day 1 of the NFL Combine

Payton Wilson (NC State)

One position group that is a massive toss-up at this point is linebacker where N.C. State’s Payton Wilson had as good a chance as anyone to secure the number one spot and if it wasn’t for two ACL tears in his past, he may have already locked it up. 

Regardless, despite the history of knee injuries, Wilson was a silky smooth mover in the position-specific drills and ran a 4.44 40-yard dash. This speed shows up in the film, and he flashes true sideline-to-sideline ability. 

While I still have concerns with his ability in pass coverage, he has proven himself an elite athlete for the position at nearly 6’4” and 238 pounds. With no true standouts at the position, he may have cemented himself as the first linebacker off the board. If teams are okay with the medicals, he may even be a first-round pick