Kansas State safety VJ Payne is expected to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, following a strong performance in workouts. He is a three-and-a-half-year starter and received All-Big 12 honorable mention honors in his final two seasons.
Kansas State's VJ Payne should hear name called in 2026 NFL Draft
MANHATTAN ā Kansas State safety VJ Payne will likely hear his name called in next week's NFL Draft, becoming the latest member of the Wildcats' secondary to be selected.
The Wildcats had two defensive backs selected in the 2025 draft, with Jacob Parrish going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round, before the San Francisco 49ers took Marques Sigle in the fifth.
Payne, a three-and-a-half-year starter for the Wildcats out of Georgia, has earned some pre-draft buzz due to his excellent workouts. He finished his career with All-Big 12 honorable mention selections in each of the last two seasons.
Here are some things to know about Payne and what people are saying about when he could be taken in the NFL Draft, which begins on April 23.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler: "Overall, Payne has the skill set of an interchangeable defensive back, although he projects best as a boundary safety who can play physical football and overlap short zones. He profiles similarly to JL Skinner of the Denver Broncos."
The Ringer's Todd McShay: "Payne should push for playing time in sub-packages and on special teams if he doesnāt win a starting job as a rookie. Nick Emmanwori, a 2025 second-round pick, is an optimistic comparison in terms of the role Payne might play, even if Payne is lighter and didnāt test as well."
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "Long and rangy, Payne is a durable 42-game starter and team captain who can play inside the box, over the slot, and as a split safety. His coverage tape pops more than his run support and tackling. He reads and responds with good timing from depth and uses his length to smother the catch point in man coverage when matched inside. Payne held his own against three of the Big 12ās best receiving tight ends in 2025. He will do his job as a run defender, but lacks an enforcerās conviction and gets hung up on blocks too easily. Payneās measurables and coverage versatility improve his chances of becoming a productive pro."
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X atĀ @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: VJ Payne NFL Draft scouting report, combine results, mock draft
VJ Payne plays as a safety for Kansas State.
The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for next week.
Two defensive backs from Kansas State were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
VJ Payne earned All-Big 12 honorable mention selections in each of his last two seasons.
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