It nearly took the whole NFL Draft, but safety VJ Payne has finally found his NFL home.
The New York Jets selected Payne in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft with the 228th overall pick. He was pinned to the Jets' AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins, as well as the Carolina Panthers. Ironically, his former teammate Sam Hecht was selected by Carolina instead.
Payne spent four seasons with Kansas State, recording 196 total tackles, 13 pass deflections, 10.5 tackles for loss, and four interceptions. He developed from a rotational player to an established veteran, with former coach Chris Klieman lauding him as one of the most vocal men in the backfield.
"The maturity level at Kansas State is up there," Payne said to reporters at the NFL Combine. "We talk about the standard a lot, just holding that standard and bringing it with me here. Showing up to interviews 10 minutes ahead of time, or even earlier. And just carrying yourself with respect for others."
The Jets have done relatively well in the Draft, adding top prospects like edge rusher David Bailey and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. Payne will join a Jets secondary that took a significant dip in 2025, going from an arguably top-five unit in the league to middle of the pack in passing yards allowed. Payne's versatility and length will hopefully help New York with secondary depth. His fall was a bit surprising, considering he was projected to go relatively early on Day 3. Here is his NFL.com profile description:
"Long and rangy, Payne is a durable 42-game starter and team captain who can play inside the box, over the slot and as a split safety. His coverage tape pops more than his run support and tackling. He reads and responds with good timing from depth and uses his length to smother the catch point in man coverage when matched inside. Payne held his own against three of the Big 12’s best receiving tight ends in 2025. He will do his job as a run defender but lacks an enforcer’s conviction and gets hung up on blocks too easily."
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