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V
SAF2026 Draft Prospect

VJ Payne

Kansas St.

Measurables

6'3 2/8"

206 lb

Scouting report · The One Analytics

Day 2Projected · Round 2-3

Single-High Center-Field Safety

VJ Payne projects as a single-high center-field safety — a SAF from 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 21 (lagged the cohort when adjusted for age of production).

21C

Dominance score · multi-component

Limited college production

Blends four cohort percentiles — 35% age-weighted career volume, 40% peak single-season production, 15% breakout (early-career + jump year), 10% position-specific efficiency. Prospects with off-the-chart seasons earn a bonus on top.

Career volume

35%

29th

age-weighted

Peak season

40%

10th

2024

Breakout

15%

24th

early-career + jump year

Efficiency

10%

29th

Plays/G · 0.27

Trait grades · 6 dimensions

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

Closest distance · 0.42
  1. #1

    Myron Lewis

    2010 R3 · #67 · Vanderbilt · 6-2/203lb · 4.42s 40

    79

    sim

  2. #2

    Montae Nicholson

    2017 R4 · #123 · Michigan State · 6-2/212lb · 4.42s 40

    78

    sim

  3. #3

    T.J. Green

    2016 R2 · #57 · Clemson · 6-2/209lb · 4.34s 40

    77

    sim

Scheme fit

Cover-1 + Cover-3 looks built on single-high split-field reads.

X-Factor

Speed grades in the 89th percentile — 4.40s 40-yard.

Primary risk

Vertical Pop sits in the 34th percentile (35" vertical) — the headline weakness scouts will key on.

Generated by deterministic-v5 · Apr 19, 2026Workout · Combine

Scouting Combine · 2026

Combine percentiles

vs. SAF class · 2000–2026 baseline
41

Athletic composite

41stAVERAGE

3 of 6 metrics graded

1× Great1× Strong1× Below avg
4.40s89thGREAT
i

40-Yard

vs. 659

35.034thBELOW AVG
i

Vertical

vs. 592

127.071stSTRONG
i

Broad

vs. 582

i

3-Cone

No data

i

Shuttle

No data

i

Bench

No data

Frame measurables · arm / hand / wingspan

79

Athletic composite

79thEXCELLENT

2 of 3 metrics graded

1× Elite1× Solid
33.897thELITE
i

Arm

vs. 229

9.561stSOLID
i

Hand

vs. 229

i

Wingspan

No data

College career · ESPN

Career stats

SeasonTeamTOTSOLOASTPDSACKFFINTYDSTD
2022KSU27189010000
2023KSU5744133001170
2024KSU6440243022240
2025KSU594019302100
Career207142659144410