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SAFDay 3#42 DB · 2026 class★ R7 · #228
VJ Payne
Kansas St.6'3 2/8"·206 lb
Single-High Center-Field Safety
ATH
68
DOM
20
draft score46
rank#204
Projected
Round 4-5
Drafted · Round 7 · Pick 228 · 228th overall
Now on the Jets.
Payne suits up at /p/vj-payne
Scouting report · The One Analytics
Day 3Projected · Round 4-5Single-High Center-Field Safety
VJ Payne projects as a single-high center-field safety. A SAF out of Kansas St. who tested with a clearly above-average athletic profile (68th composite). Combine line reads 6'3 2/8" · 206 lb, 4.40s 40, 35″ vertical, 127″ broad. College defensive line: 207 tackles · 1 sacks · 4 INT · 9 PD across 4 seasons. Dominance score 20 (lagged the cohort when adjusted for age of production).
20C
Dominance score · college production
Limited college production
Blends 35% age-weighted career volume, 40% peak single-season production, 15% breakout, and 10% position-specific efficiency.
24pct
Weak
Career volume
35% wtage-weighted
10pct
Weak
Peak season
40% wt2024
29pct
Below avg
Breakout
15% wtearly-career + jump year
29pct
Below avg
Efficiency
10% wtPlays/G · 0.27
Scouting Combine · 2026
Combine percentiles
Y · PERCENTILE vs SAF CLASS · 2000–2026 baseline
41
Athletic composite
41stAVERAGE
5 of 5 metrics graded
1× Elite1× Great1× Strong1× Solid1× Below avg
40-Yard
4.40s·89th of 659
Vertical
35.0″·34th of 592
Broad
127.0″·71st of 582
Arm
33.8″·97th of 229
Hand
9.5″·61st of 229
Not tested3-ConeShuttleBench
4.40s89thGREAT
i
40-Yard
vs. 659
35.034thBELOW AVG
i
Vertical
vs. 592
127.071stSTRONG
i
Broad
vs. 582
33.897thELITE
i
Arm
vs. 229
9.561stSOLID
i
Hand
vs. 229
Not tested3-ConeShuttleBench
Trait grades
6 dimensions evaluated
A-
Speed
89th percentile · 4.40s 40-yard
B-
Burst
53th percentile · 35" vert · 127" broad
N/A
Lateral Agility
No combine number on file — no 3-cone · no shuttle
C+
Vertical Pop
34th percentile · 35" vertical
B+
Frame
79th percentile · 6'3 2/8" · 206 lb
N/A
Power
No combine number on file — no bench on file
NFL comparisons
Top 3 historical · similarity-ranked
Closest distance · 0.42
PB
● prospect·● historical comps
- #1
Tycen Anderson
Unknown2022 R5 · #166 · Toledo · 6-2/209lb · 4.36s 40
77
sim
- #2
Myron Lewis
2010 R3 · #67 · Vanderbilt · 6-2/203lb · 4.42s 40
79
sim
- #3
Patrick Surtain
All-Pro2021 R1 · #9 · Alabama · 6-2/208lb · 4.42s 40
68
sim
X-Factor
Speed grades in the 89th percentile. 4.40s 40-yard.
Primary risk
Vertical Pop sits in the 34th percentile (35" vertical). That's the headline weakness scouts will key on.
Scheme fit
Cover-1 + Cover-3 looks built on single-high split-field reads.
College career · ESPN
Career stats
| Season | Team | TOT | SOLO | AST | PD | SACK | FF | INT | YDS | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | KSU | 27 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | KSU | 57 | 44 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| 2024 | KSU | 64 | 40 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 0 |
| 2025 | KSU | 59 | 40 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 207 | 142 | 65 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 41 | 0 | |
Generated by deterministic-v30 · Jun 2, 2026Workout · Combine