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Luke Kuechly put an end to his NFL career four years ago due to health reasons, but the linebacker‘s impact at the Carolina Panthers is still much talked about.
It doesn't look like the franchise has found a worthy replacement for the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
On the “Up and Adam” show on Wednesday, Kuechly said that he would love the Panthers to select NC State linebacker Payton Wilson in the upcoming draft.
He noted that the player has caught his attention throughout his career with the Wolfpack.
“At the draft, I always look at linebackers and there’s a guy that I loved watching for a long time up at NC State, Payton Wilson,” Kuechly said. “He ran extremely well, was in the 4.4s, and he’s been super productive and he plays really hard.”
Luke Kuechly jealous of Payton Wilson
Luke Kuechly can’t help but admire the physical and athletic attributes of Payton Wilson.
While he's no longer playing, Kuechly noted that he's jealous of Wilson as he transitions to the NFL. The linebacker was the fastest at the 2024 NFL Combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds.
“He’s taller than me, and he’s faster than me, and he’s gonna be in the NFL so I’m jealous of those guys,” Kuechly admitted.
“All these guys that are coming out, you talk to them and they’re like what would you change? What would you do differently? I said I’m so jealous of you guys, and I had so much fun playing football.”
Wilson showcased his skills during his college career, playing in 42 games for the Wolfpack and amassing impressive statistics, including 402 tackles, 48 tackles for loss, 15 sacks and seven interceptions. That has caught the eye of Kuechly and NFL teams over the years.
The linebacker had a stellar 2023 season, earning numerous accolades, including being named a unanimous All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
He also received prestigious defensive awards like the Butkus and Chuck Bednarik awards to mark the brilliant year.
Payton Wilson has drawn comparisons with Luke Kuechly in the draft evaluation process due to the similarities in their college career achievements. Both linebackers earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Butkus Award in college football.
It remains to be seen if the linebacker ends up landing at the Carolina Panthers in the upcoming draft as Luke Kuechly wishes.
Notably, the Panthers do not have a first-round pick in 2024. However, Wilson's injury history and age could see him become a second-round pick.
