Football Places Three on The Athletics’ College Football Freaks List 2023
8/17/2023 5:00:00 PM | Football
RALEIGH, NC – Spotlighting college football players whose athleticism stands out, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic has named Payton Wilson, Davin Vann, and Jordan Houston to his College Football "Freak" List for 2023.
Coming in at No. 27 is NC State linebacker Payton Wilson. A former standout lacrosse player and state champion wrestler, the 6-4 238-pound senior is one of the best players in the country, according to Feldman. He led the ACC in tackles in 2020 after missing most of the 2021 season with a shoulder injury, bounced back to make 82 tackles last season, and was named a semi-finalist for the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award. Wilson has clocked in the 40 at 4.49 and ran a 4.21 in the pro agility shuttle this offseason. He bench-pressed 390, vertical-jumped 35 1/2 inches, and broad-jumped 9-8 1/2.
Wilson has been named to Butkus Award and Chuck Bednarik Watchlists this preseason.
Davin Vann checks in at No. 40 on the list. The defensive end had eight TFLs and 4.5 sacks in 2022, showcasing his great strength and explosiveness. The 6-2 280-pound junior is a former state champion heavyweight wrestler who also finished second in the state in the shot put and had the third-longest discus throw in the United States that same year. Vann bench-pressed 405 pounds and squatted 580. He's also run a 4.79 40 and vertical-jumped 33 inches.
Running back Jordan Houston rounds out the Wolfpack honorees, ranking 54th. The Wolfpack's leading rusher in 2022, Houston, ran for a career-high 90 yards in their win over FSU. The 5-10, 192-pound senior has a 41 1/2-inch vertical and broad-jumps 10-10 1/2 inches. He clocked in at 4.06 in the shuttle and 4.46 in the 40. He also squats 550, benches 365, and does 22 reps of 225.
