STRENGTHS
Payton is a difference-maker for your defense. He can play more than one position as a linebacker and I suspect could even be used as a safety in any style of defensive back system you want to use. He is quick and fast and has the size every team is looking for in the new linebacker for this new passing league. Payton is a run-and-chase linebacker and better when used in coverage than most safeties in this draft. He has a high football IQ and shows leadership through his play on the field. Payton plays angry but he doesn’t take that anger out committing penalties. He is a form tackler and a sure tackler. Payton can be used on the line of scrimmage as an Edge Rusher, or as a 3-down linebacker in any one of those positions, and as a Safety in man or zone converges. He has the burst of speed to dominate from sideline to sideline as a linebacker or safety. He reminds me a lot of former Cowboys Sean Lee when playing linebacker. As a safety, he reminds me a lot of the Bills Jorden Poyer.
CONCERNS
Payton had some medical issues in the past that he has come back from with great tenacity. Nevertheless, some teams will downgrade him because of those medicals and his history of getting injured. Payton is not the type of linebacker who should be standing still at the snap, waiting for the offense to come to him. He needs to be on the move and attacking or, in coverage. His body type does lend itself more to the safety position than the linebacker position and like Sean Lee, if forced to play out of position of that body type, he will be susceptible to injuries.
BOTTOM LINE: 1.51
As I stated before, Payton reminds me a lot of former Cowboys LB Sean Lee. Sean was a weakside linebacker like Bills Matt Milano and playing inside added to him being more likely to be prone to injuries. At least that’s my un “expert” opinion. It seems to me that Payton, because of his past injuries, should be used more as a strong Safety/OLB who can play up near the line or back in zone and be used more as a “robber” in a defensive system, taking advantage of his high football IQ, speed, size, quickness, and leadership skills. I feel as soon as Payton gets into an NFL strength and conditioning program and is used on defense as an “on the move” defensive player the injuries will lessen and be less devastating to his career. Matt Milano was injured a lot in college and Sean Lee was injured a lot in college. Sean continued that injury history in the NFL but Matt’s injuries until this year, were not as debilitating as they had been in college. Here’s the key, Payton has come back from his injuries with the impact he had before his injuries. Think about it.
