VJ Payne
| No. 7 – Kansas State Wildcats | |
|---|---|
| Position | Safety |
| Class | Senior |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 17, 2004 Gainesville, Georgia, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 206 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Buford (Buford, Georgia) |
| College | Kansas State (2022–2025) |
| Stats at ESPN | |
VJ Payne (born March 17, 2004) is an American college football safety for the Kansas State Wildcats.
Early life
Payne attended Buford High School in Buford, Georgia. He was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Kansas State Wildcats.[1]
College career
As a freshman in 2022, Payne played in all 14 games and made four starts, including in the Big 12 Championship Game and the Sugar Bowl.[2][3] In 2023, he recorded 57 tackles and an interception.[4] In 2024, Payne started all 13 games, where he totaled 64 tackles with three and a half being for a loss, four pass deflections, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles, earning honorable mention all-Big 12 honors.[5][6] He earned an invitation to participate in the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl.[7]
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+1⁄4 in (1.91 m) |
206 lb (93 kg) |
33+3⁄4 in (0.86 m) |
9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) |
6 ft 8+3⁄4 in (2.05 m) |
4.40 s | 1.52 s | 2.56 s | 4.33 s | 6.94 s | 35.0 in (0.89 m) |
10 ft 7 in (3.23 m) | |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[8][9] | ||||||||||||
References
- ^ Black, Ryan (September 19, 2021). "Georgia defensive back VJ Payne becomes newest commit of Kansas State's 2022 class". The Mercury. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ^ Green, Arne (August 27, 2023). "What's next for Kansas State football sophomore defensive backs VJ Payne, Jacob Parrish?". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ^ Green, Arne (August 1, 2025). "Kansas State football preview 2025: Senior VJ Payne the lone returning starter at safety". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ^ Green, Arne (July 14, 2024). "Talent and experience have made Kansas State football's secondary a defensive strength". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ^ Robinett, Kellis. "Why VJ Payne can be Kansas State's best defensive back of the Chris Klieman era". Wichita Eagle. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ^ Green, Arne (May 14, 2025). "Kansas State football safety VJ Payne is on the fast track to a career in the NFL". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ^ Maitra, Shayni. "Kansas State Duo Sam Hecht and VJ Payne Receive Shine Bowl Invitations". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ^ "VJ Payne Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "VJ Payne College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 14, 2026.