Daron Payne (born May 27, 1997) is a National Football League defensive tackle for the Washington Commanders (NFL). He attended Alabama, where he won the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship and was named the team’s most valuable defensive player, before being drafted in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft by Washington.
Where did Daron Payne go to high school?
Payne attended Shades Valley High School in Birmingham, Alabama, and was a member of the Mounties. He was a five-star recruit who committed to play college football at the University of Alabama.
Payne had 13 tackles and a half-sack as a true freshman at Alabama in 2015. In 2016, he had 36 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a sophomore. He had five tackles and a half sack against Clemson in the National Championship Game.
Payne was named the defensive MVP of both of Alabama’s postseason games as a junior in 2017. He intercepted a pass and scored an offensive receiving touchdown on the ensuing drive in the Sugar Bowl against Clemson. Payne had six tackles in the National Championship Game against Georgia, helping Alabama to their second national championship in three seasons. Payne declared his intention to enter the 2018 NFL Draft after his junior year. Payne’s given name was frequently misspelled as Da’Ron during his time at Alabama, so he requested that it be changed back to Daron for his professional career.
