Re-Ranking the Contenders: Payton Page
Payton Page has been one of the most sought after defensive linemen in the nation for a very long time, but he put his recruiting process on hold around the beginning of the pandemic hoping he’d be able to get his official visits in this spring or in the summer. Now that he’s realized that may not be able to happen, he’s ready to announce his commitment. Take a look at Page’s top contenders heading into his commitment on July 28.
MORE RE-RANKING THE CONTENDERS: Tristan Leigh
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
1. CLEMSON
The Tigers have been working to hold off the other contenders in Page’s recruitment for months and it seems like they’ve been doing so successfully. Page really likes how he’d be used in Clemson’s scheme and has a great relationship with defensive line coach Todd Bates. He’s also been to Clemson a number of times and feels very comfortable in that environment and with the current and future players.
2. TENNESSEE
Page and his family have really enjoyed getting closer with the Tennessee coaching staff. They’ve had to build a new relationship with defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh after Tracy Rocker left to take the same position at South Carolina. While Tennessee has done an excellent job on the recruiting trail so far this year, it doesn’t have much of an effect on Page’s decision. He does, however, like how he’d fit into the depth chart and the direction of the program as a whole.
3. NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina has also done a great job recruiting in this cycle, especially in its home state. Page has a lot of connections to the Tar Heels team, including former teammate and close friend Myles Murphy, and he has a solid relationship with Mack Brown and the rest of the coaches. The Tar Heels haven’t had momentum with Page for a while, but they remain in contention for his commitment.