SI All-American Candidate Patrick Payton Highlights and Evaluation

Patrick Payton is a linebacker prospect from Miami Northwestern High School in Miami, Fla. Payton is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: Patrick Payton 
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 205 pounds
Position: Outside Linebacker
School: Miami (Fla.) Northwestern 
Committed to: Nebraska 
Projected Position: Outside Linebacker

Frame: Tall and slender, with budding muscle. Long, rangy arms and legs. Broad shoulders. Ample room to fill out across the chest. Significant all-around growth potential. 

Athleticism: Bend and flexibility pop off the tape. Great feet. Exceptional lateral quickness, stopping and starting with ease. Good speed, but better burst. Moves like a player several inches shorter. Hits with power, but must improve strength. 

Instincts: Cat-quick off the snap. Shows natural dip as pass-rusher. Preternatural ability to get “skinny,” sliding inside of linemen to the ball. Plays with good knee bend and consistent base. Willing to take on blockers and plug holes. 

Polish: Already adept at using hands to shed. Relies mostly on quickness and bend as pass-rusher; needs to add to his toolbox. Shows consistent patience as a read-option defender, chopping feet at mesh point before attacking. Promising run defender given his weight deficiency, but must get far bigger. 

Bottom Line: Payton’s long, slender build means he’s several years away from consistent playing time for the Huskers. Once additional power and weight arrive, his rare package of athletic tools will prove a terror for opposing offenses. All-Conference and NFL ceiling.