Recruiting Battle: Damon Payne

UPDATE: Damon Payne has committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Contenders:

Damon Payne announced his top ten on twitter this February but appears to be down to four schools now. He will be making his commitment on July 26, 2020. Here is a quick tale of the tape for the top four teams.

Why Alabama?

The Tide have been the premier program in college football and on the recruiting trail for over a decade under Head Coach Nick Saban. No one has won more game over the last ten years than Alabama. The team has done a great job of getting defensive linemen drafted over the past decade and rank #2 in our DLU rankings. The Tide are in the playoff picture every year and would give Payne the opportunity to shine on the national stage.

Why Arizona State?

Distance is clearly not a factor for Payne as all of his finalists are a good distance from home. The Sun Devils have momentum under former NFL coach Herm Edwards on the field and on the recruiting trail. He has done a good job of recruiting players and the athletes feel confident he and his staff will prepare them for the NFL. Arizona State only signed one defensive tackle in the 2020 recruiting class and can offer Payne a clearer path to early playing time.

Why Kentucky?

Kentucky has done an excellent job recruiting in the state of Michigan. Last year the Wildcats landed star defensive tackle Justin Rogers from Oak Park, MI, which is only 32 miles from Belleville. Lead recruiter Steve Clinkscale has good connections to the state and does a good job building relationships with the players, he recruited Rogers for the Wildcats last year as well. Kentucky is the closest of Payne’s four finalists by a good distance. Mark Stoops and company have done a good job at Kentucky and should not be discounted in this recruiting battle.

Why USC?

USC is able to recruit around the country even when they are not having great success on the field. The School, it’s location and the weather are a selling point at any time. The Trojans have been able to get commitments from players across the country. Clay Helton and his staff have gotten off to a good start recruiting in the 2021 cycle and will look to bounce back from a down year in 2020. Payne would not be the first Midwest star to choose to play his football in Southern California for the Trojans.

Here is our scouting report on Payne.

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