Ranking the Contenders: Damon Payne
Four-star defensive tackle Damon Payne has been the top-ranked prospect in a deep 2021 class from the state of Michigan since the first rankings for the class. The Rivals100 prospect keeps his recruiting thoughts close to the vest, but several top schools are known and we examine which have the best shot for the Belleville High standout in this ranking of the contenders.
1. ALABAMA
From very early in this recruitment, I have expected Payne to ultimately end up in the SEC. Part of that projection has been informed by people close to Payne who feel the same way, and every time the conversation has come up, Alabama is the first team mentioned. The Crimson Tide offered Payne in April of his freshman year, and he has already made several visits to Tuscaloosa, including one last June where he strengthened his relationship with head coach Nick Saban. It’s not a sure thing Payne ends up at Alabama, but any list like this for the state of Michigan’s No. 1 ranked prospect has to start with the Crimson Tide.
2. KENTUCKY
Kentucky landed the No. 1 ranked player in the state of Michigan’s 2020 class with five-star Justin Rogers, and are looking to achieve that feat in back-to-back years. Assistant coach Steven Clinkscale has strong relationships throughout the metro Detroit area, and he has been recruiting Payne as long as anyone. Payne was making recruiting visits to Kentucky when he was still in middle school and attended a home game in Lexington last September. There are several connections for Payne on that Kentucky roster including his cousin, Marquan McCall.
3. LSU
LSU gets mentioned as one of the top contenders for Payne almost as much as Alabama. The level of familiarity between the two parties is not as strong as what exists between Payne and either Alabama or Kentucky, but the relationship is growing since the Tigers switched defensive line coach Bill Johnson over to be Payne’s primary recruiter.
The key for LSU to rise on this list is getting the Michigan lineman on campus as soon as possible. The Alabama-LSU recruiting rivalry is one of the most intense; it would be interesting to see it play out for a Midwest prospect.
4. OHIO STATE
If there is a Midwest school that can keep Payne close to home, Ohio State looks to have the best shot as it stands right now. As I noted earlier, the expectations are that Payne leaves the region, but Ohio State has hosted Payne for games each of the last two seasons and are recruiting as well as any team in the country right now. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has a long history of developing defensive linemen, and he has the opportunity to sell Payne on playing alongside Rivals100 prospects Jack Sawyer and Michael Hall in this 2021 class.
5. ARIZONA STATE
This may seem like a strange inclusion on Payne’s list with a lot of in-state and regional options still available, but Arizona State has Payne’s attention. People close to him say he talks about the Sun Devils often, even though they are not recruiting him as heavily as the other schools on this list and only made their scholarship offer official this past winter. Herm Edwards came into the Midwest and landed a four-star defensive lineman in the 2020 class. He could do that again if they turn up the heat on Payne.