Photo by Tracey Owens Wilson
If you remember your final day of high school, you probably recall a variety of emotions. Joy. Sadness. Finality. A sense of accomplishment. For Payton Wilson, there was only relief. It was the end of a long, emotionally taxing four months which featured an intense recruiting battle between the two largest public universities in North Carolina, and relentless attacks from those who should know better on social media. Not to mention Wilson tore his ACL six weeks ago, ending his hopes of leading Orange to a state football championship. On Wednesday, the most decorated Orange High football player in history officially signed with N.C. State, concluding a career where he was named the Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year twice, an Army All-American and the 4th-ranked player in North Carolina.