With their final pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Jets on Saturday selected Kansas State DB VJ Payne in the seventh round (No. 228 overall).
Payne (6-3 208), a native of Gainesville, GA, started during all his four years at K-State, earning a starting spot late in his freshman season. He started a total of 42 games over his four seasons.
Payne has good length (nearly a 34-inch wingspan) and clocked a speedy 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash, a 10-7 broad jump and a 35-inch vertical jump at the NFL Combine in February. He logged a total of 196 tackles during his time with the Wildcats while also contributing 4 forced fumbles.
Payne told reporters after the selection that he had early interactions with the Jets at the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine and in a recent Zoom call.
"There was a lot of team interest," he said.
He added, speaking about his strengths and style of play: "My speed. I know how to use my length to my advantage, and then also my versatility. I know how to play man coverage on bigger tight ends, line up against your receivers, if that's the case. But, just my versatility, how to use all my skill sets."
Asked about developing under a former NFL DB in HC Aaron Glenn, Payne said: "I know that he's great coach. He knows how to develop players at the DB position. [I want to] be a player for him and he knows how to develop DBs in a great way. And then also just being able to use my versatility to help the organization out."
A dual-sport athlete (also ran track & field) at Buford HS, where he also saw time at linebacker, Payne helped his team to a 14-1 record and a Georgia state championship. He was rated a three-star recruit, choosing Kansas State over Michigan, Michigan State, Arkansas and Vanderbilt.
"Being a linebacker in high school, I'll say it helped me bring out my physicality going into college," Payne said. "And then also, you know, with run fits, knowing where to fit, being precise in what I'm doing, in the run fit aspect, and then brings up my physicality playing linebacker."
He played in all 14 games (4 starts) as a freshman, including for the Wildcats in the Big 12 title game and the Sugar Bowl. As a sophomore he had 57 tackles and a single interception, improved in 2024 playing in 13 games with 64 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 4 PDs, a pair of INTs and 2 FF to earn honorable mention Big 12 honors.
Payne is the fifth Jets draft choice from K-State. The most recent selection was S Rashad Washington (2004, Rd 7, No. 235). Before him there was S Jon McGraw (2002, Rd 2, No. 57) and T Ryan Young (1999, Round 7, No. 223), who started 39 games for Jets at RT from 1999-2001.
