Payton getting more national interest
Recruiting is already going phenomenally well for Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian wide receiver Jordan Payton, who has offers from Arizona State, Washington and LSU. Things could get much busier this spring and summer for the 2012 recruit.
"Everything is going really well," said Payton, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound prospect. "Everyone else should be coming in pretty soon. I'm just waiting for those."
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The list of programs interested in Payton is extensive but includes Southern Cal, Alabama, Florida, Oregon, California and "pretty much all the Pac-10," he said.
First-year coach Lane Kiffin is a big reason why Payton is so intrigued with the Trojans. Kiffin's coaching style and demeanor will keep Southern Cal significantly involved during Payton's recruiting process.
"They were at my school and I definitely like SC because Lane is there so we'll see how that goes," Payton said.
"Lane is a cool guy. He's young so all the recruits really like that. He's like (Washington coach Steve) Sarkisian, both young guys, they know how to talk to us, know how to get everybody fired up so that's definitely a plus in the recruiting process."
Washington could be an interesting team to watch. The Huskies signed Oaks Christian teammates Nick Montana and Erik Kohler in its 2010 class. Adding Montana, a three-star quarterback by Rivals.com, and the Huskies' good standing with Sammamish (Wash.) Skyline star receiver Kasen Williams could go a long way in landing Payton.
"Washington is cool," Payton said. "Since I was up there for the Skyline game I got to see the campus a little bit, it's pretty tight and my quarterback is going up there so it would help being with him.
"Nick and I are pretty good friends so it would definitely be a plus going up there. Kasen is a great player so just having us up there would be a great thing."
Former Arizona State wide receivers coach Eric Yarber, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Payton developed a strong relationship but the Sun Devils are still involved because coach Dennis Erickson coached Payton's brother, Michael, at Oregon State. Knowing Erickson so well is important.
"We had a very good relationship with the wide receivers coach but he went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers now so it's a little shaky but I definitely like coach Erickson because he's definitely a part of my family like that," Payton said.
SEC schools will also play a factor. Payton said Alabama is one of his favorite programs, that Florida might offer soon and that Cassius Marsh, a former LSU commit who signed with UCLA out of Oaks Christian, has interested him in the Tigers.
Payton admits he is definitely interested in some SEC powerhouses and that he'll take a serious look at those programs if they offer. LSU is one of his favorites.
"I just have some family down there and Cassius Marsh when he was committed there he really got me into it," Payton said. "Now he's not going there but I still have a lot of interest in them because I talked to them on the phone a lot. They're really cool."