Da'Ron Payne

Position:
DL
Height:
6-2
Weight:
308
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Birmingham, Ala.
High School:
Shades Valley

2017 (Junior)

Regarded as one of the top defensive line prospects in the nation ... a bruising run-stopper along the Tide front ... selected as the Defensive MVP of the Allstate Sugar Bowl and the College Football Playoff National Championship Game ... garnered Second Team All-America accolades from the AFCA ... selected as a First Team All-SEC honoree by the Associated Press while also earning second-team recognition from the coaches ... totaled 53 tackles, 45 of which came against the run ... tallied one sack (-7 yards) while adding a team-high eight quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, an interception and one fumble recovery ... also entered on offense near the goal line in the Tide’s jumbo package and caught one pass for a score ... collected midseason All-America honors from the Associated Press and Sports Illustrated ... selected as a Second Team Preseason All-American by CBS Sports and Phil Steele ... tabbed to the Nagurski and Outland Trophy Preseason Watch Lists along with the Bednarik Award Watch List ... named one of the UA coaching staff’s defensive players of the week for his play against Colorado State and LSU. Florida State: Tied for third on the team with five stops against the Seminoles ... fought through double-teams to limit the ‘Noles’ rushing attack to only 40 yards on the ground. Fresno State: Collected four tackles against the Bulldogs ... played a key role in holding the FSU running game to only 57 yards on the ground. Colorado State: Set a then career-high mark for tackles with six stops ... also registered a quarterback hurry and one pass breakup on the night ... earned defensive player of the week accolades from the Alabama coaches for his play against the Rams. Vanderbilt: Made one stop along the defensive front ... played a key role in limiting the Commodores to only 40 yards rushing and just three first downs. Ole Miss: Ranked second on the team with a career-high seven tackles against the Rebels ... added half a sack (-1 yard) ... led a defensive front that held the Ole Miss offense to only 88 yards rushing. Texas A&M: Finished with six tackles against the Aggies ... helped limit the high-powered A&M offense to only 71 yards on the ground and 308 total yards, well below its average entering the matchup. Arkansas: Did not record a tackle on the night but was dominant up the middle ... finished with a career-high two quarterback pressures, barreling over blockers to disrupt the passing game ... played a key role on UA’s defensive unit that limited the Hogs to 227 total yards and nine points. Tennessee: Provided significant pressure up the middle all afternoon against the Volunteers ... matched his career high with two quarterback hurries and one pass breakup ... also collected one unassisted tackle along the defensive front ... helped the Tide defense hold UT to no offensive touchdowns and only 108 total yards. LSU: A force along the defensive front against the Tigers ... totaled four tackles with half a sack (-6 yards) ... added one quarterback pressure, his fifth in a three-game span ... contributed to the Tide defense’s season-high six sacks. Mississippi State: Made six stops along the defense front, all coming against the Bulldog rush. Mercer: Totaled two tackles and one quarterback pressure against the Bears ... his play along the line helped limit the MU offense to just 161 yards on the day. Auburn: Recovered his first fumble of the year, while recording three tackles and a quarterback pressure in the Iron Bowl. Clemson: Named the Defensive MVP of the Sugar Bowl ... picked off his first career pass, returning the ball 21 yards on the play ... added a pair of tackles and one pass breakup to his defensive totals ... entered on the Tide’s goal line package, catching the pass for his first career reception and score from one-yard out. Georgia: Selected once again as the Defensive MVP after earning the honors a week prior ... spent the night in the UGA backfield after fighting off double-teams the entire game ... finished with six tackles, all against the run, to help hold the Bulldogs’ vaunted rushing attack to only 133 yards.

2016 (Sophomore)

One of the key cogs along the Crimson Tide’s vaunted defensive front ... totaled 36 tackles, three quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and a fumble recovery for a touchdown ... added 3.5 tackles for loss (-13 yards) and 1.5 sacks (-10 yards) from his nose guard spot ... selected to the Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List, given annually to the nation’s top lineman on offense or defense ... named one of the Alabama coaching staff’s defensive players of the week for his performance against Mississippi State. USC: Started at nose guard but did not record any stats ... helped occupy blockers and limit the Trojan rushing attack to only 64 yards on the ground. Western Kentucky: Recorded three tackles along the defensive line ... helped limit the Hilltopper rushing attack to only 23 yards on the ground. Ole Miss: Made a then career-high four stops and recovered a fumble for a touchdown against the Rebels ... picked up the forced fumble created by Ryan Anderson and plunged the ball over the end zone for six as he was being tackled ... his fumble return was one of the Tide’s three non-offensive touchdowns on the afternoon. Kent State: Collected two tackles in his one half of play ... helped limit the Golden Flashes’ rushing attack to only 82 yards on the ground. Kentucky: Finished his night against the Wildcats with one tackle ... played a key role in limiting the UK rushing attack to only 72 yards on the ground. Arkansas: Recorded three tackles, including the first full sack (-8 yards) of his career ... also added one quarterback hurry against the Razorbacks as part of the Tide’s season-high 12 quarterback pressures. Tennessee: Registered a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss (-2 yards) as part of his two total stops ... played a key role in limiting the Volunteer rushing attack to only 32 yards. Texas A&M: Wrapped up the afternoon with two stops and one pass breakup ... helped limit the Aggies to 278 yards of offense including 114 on the ground. LSU: Spent the night in the Tiger backfield, overpowering the opposing line ... finished with one tackle and one quarterback pressure ... played a key role in limiting the high-powered LSU offense to only 125 yards, including just 33 on the ground. Mississippi State: Finished with a career-high five tackles against the Bulldogs ... added one quarterback pressure ... helped limit the State offense to only 94 yards rushing. Chattanooga: Made two tackles against the Mocs, including half a tackle for loss (-1 yard) ... helped limit the Chattanooga rushing attack to only 70 yards on the ground. Auburn: Totaled two tackles along the defensive front ... helped limit the high-powered Auburn offense to 182 total yards ... the Tide also held the Tigers -- who entered the game leading the SEC in rushing -- to just 66 yards on the ground or 232 yards less than its season average. Florida: Ate up blocks on the inside but did not record any stats ... played a key role in holding the Gators to 0 yards rushing on the afternoon. Washington: Fought through a stout Husky offensive line to record four stops on the night, all against the run ... helped limit the high-powered Washington offense to only 194 total yards including just 44 on the ground. Clemson: Tied a career-high mark with five tackles against the Tigers ... added half a sack (-2 yards) by night’s end ... played a key role in limiting the CU rushing attack to only 91 yards on the ground.

2015 (Freshman)

One of the top reserves along the nation’s top defensive front ... earned freshman All-America honors from ESPN.com ... worked in an expanded role along the defensive front as the season progressed and earned his first career start against Arkansas. Wisconsin: Recorded one assisted tackle in his first action with the Crimson Tide. Middle Tennessee: Broke through the offensive line for one quarterback hurry against the Blue Raiders. Ole Miss: Saw action along the defensive front that limited the Rebels to just 92 yards rushing ... did not record any tackles. ULM: Recorded one tackle along the defensive front ... helped limit the Warhawk rushing attack to only nine yards on the ground. Georgia: Was a physical force in the middle of the line, requiring double teams on multiple plays ... recorded one tackle and one pass breakup by day’s end. Arkansas: Earned his first career start, finishing with three tackles against the Razorbacks ... was key in limiting the Hog rushers to just 44 yards on the ground. Texas A&M: Helped plug up the middle to limit the Aggies to a lowly 32 yards rushing ... did not record any tackles for the first time in his last three games. Tennessee: Notched two tackles including half of a sack for a loss of three yards ... played a key role in an Alabama pass rush that recorded five total sacks and eight quarterback hurries by day’s end. LSU: Started in the middle but did not record any stats ... helped plug holes for the linebackers ... was key in limiting the Tiger rushing attack to 54 total yards, including 31 by the SEC’s leading rusher in Leonard Fournette. Mississippi State: Had a monster day in Starkville, finishing with a then career-high tying three tackles while forcing a fumble ... helped limit Dak Prescott to 14 yards rushing on 26 total carries. Charleston Southern: Made two stops on the day against CSU ... helped limit the Buccaneers to only 134 yards of total offense. Auburn: Saw time along the defensive front but did not record any stats ... helped limit the Tiger rushing attack to only 91 yards, including one total yard on 14 carries in the second half of play. Florida: Started against the Gators but did not record any tackles ... plugged holes to limit the Gators to only 15 yards on the ground. Michigan State: Did not record any stats, but helped clog the middle of the line to limit the Spartans to only 29 yards on the ground. Clemson: Added depth along the Crimson Tide’s vaunted defensive front but did not record any stats.

High School and Personal Data

An elite prospect along the interior of the defensive line coming out of high school … 2015 U.S. Army All-American Bowl selection … invited to Nike’s 2014 “The Opening” … five-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com … ranked No. 14 in the final Scout300 and listed as the outlet’s No. 4 defensive tackle, No. 2 tackle in the South region and No. 1 player in Alabama … the No. 3 defensive tackle nationally by Rivals.com and No. 19 in the Rivals100 … No. 1 player in the state by Rivals.com … No. 20 in the Prepstar Top 150 Dream Team … listed ninth among defensive tackles by ESPN and the No. 2 player in Alabama … No. 48 in the ESPN300 and No. 26 in the Southeast region … a five-star in the 247Composite where he was the No. 29 overall player and the No. 7 defensive tackle … No. 52 in the Top247 and the No. 7 defensive tackle … No. 2 in the final AL.com 2015 A-List … honorable mention Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State team … participated in the 2014 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … coached by William Smith at Shades Valley High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida State, Clemson and Georgia.