http://cjonline.com/sports/catzone/2017-01-28/it-was-k-state-all-way-football-recruit-anthony-payne
It was K-State all the way for football recruit Anthony Payne
Wildcats have 15 commitments in recruiting class
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Anthony Payne officially becomes a member of the Kansas State football program Wednesday when he signs a national letter of intent, but he feels like he’s been a team member since last July when he announced his decision to join the Wildcats.
“I was up there a lot this fall and just had my official (visit) last weekend so I’ve been able to get around K-State a whole lot lately,” Payne said. “It will be difficult waiting to get there but I’m enjoying the process of getting ready to get up there. I’m excited to do the training, the running and lifting weights, to get prepared.”
The process of preparation is one Payne embraces.
“I feel like I can out-work anybody on the football field,” he said. “I feel like I have more passion than anyone out there at all times.”
Payne, a defensive end from Raymore-Pecuilar High School in Peculiar, Mo., is one of 16 known commitments in K-State’s 2017 recruiting class. The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Payne is a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, rated the No. 7 recruit in Missouri and No. 38 nationally at his position (strongside end).
A long-time K-State fan, Payne’s decision came down to the Wildcats and Michigan but K-State was always the front-runner.
“In the process you don’t want to count any schools out but it just made sense the whole time, especially when they offered early,” he said. “I didn’t want to wait because it was such a great fit for me.
“They hold up the ‘Family’ sign before the game and have banners all around the stadium. It’s not just a saying, it’s an actual feeling. It’s the essence of the program with the students and the football team.”
Payne amassed 79 tackles his senior season at Raymore-Pec with 12 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
“This year he became what I would call a student of the game,” said Raymore-Pec coach Tom Kruse. “It’s not a surprise that he got double-teamed almost every snap, even when we moved him around. His gets off the football and he’s violent. He has violent hands, and with his edge rushing speed he can get places very quickly.
“This year he became a down-the-line of scrimmage kind of guy. Teams would find where he was located and try to run the other direction. He started to figure out that, ‘If I take this angle, I’m going to get there. It may be a one- or two-yard gain but I’m going to get there.’ “
During the recruiting process Payne became close friends with another K-State defensive end signee, Wyatt Hubert of Shawnee Heights. Hubert graduated early and already has signed, enrolling at K-State this semester.
The two incoming freshmen could form a formidable tandem in the future at a position that has been productive for the Wildcats. Jordan Willis was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and a projected high-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and Reggie Walker was the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.
“That’s seems to be something a lot of people bring up,” Payne said of playing with Hubert, Rivals’ No. 29 national strongside end and No. 4 Kansas prospect. “We can benefit each other more than anything. It’s something we talk about, like how can we help each other get better.”
The Wildcats’ recruiting list includes four in-state offensive linemen, including Capital-Journal All-State Top 11 selection Josh Rivas of Hutchinson and All-Class 4A pick Harrison Creed from Ulysses.
K-State has four of Rivals’ top 10 Kansas prospects: No. 4 Hubert, No. 7 Ben Adler, an offensive guard from Wichita Trinity; No. 8 Rivas and No. 10 Sammy Wheeler, a quarterback from St. James Academy.
On the final weekend before signing day, three of K-State’s top remaining targets remained undecided:
K-STATE COMMITMENTS
Ben Adler, OG, 6-4, 310, Wichita (Trinity)
Josh Brown, DB, 6-1, 205, Fairburn, Ga. (Langston Hughes)
Harrison Creed, OL, 6-5, 310, Ulysses
x-Xavier Davis, DE, 6-6, 250, Phoenix, Ariz. (Pima CC)
Bernard Goodwater, RB, 5-19, 175, Dallas, Texas (Carter)
x-Wyatt Hubert, DE, 6-4, 250, Topeka (Shawnee Heights)
x-Eli Huggins, DT, 6-4, 285, Cummings, Ga. (West Forsythe)
Bill Kuduk, TL, 6-5, 290, Chicago, Ill. (Marist)
Aidan Mills, OT, 6-5, 265, Newton
Spencer Misko, TE, 6-5, 235, Keller, Texas
Anthony Payne, DE, 6-2, 255, Peculiar, Mo. (Raymore-Pec)
Josh Rivas, OT, 6-6, 330, Hutchinson
Chabastin Taylor, WR, 6-3, 210, Giddings, Texas
Danny Walker, OLB, 6-3, 215, Wheaton, Ill. (North)
Sammy Wheeler, QB, 6-4, 200, Lenexa (St. James Academy)
Drew Wiley, DT, 6-4, 290, Vinton, Iowa
x-Signed, enrolled for spring semester
It was K-State all the way for football recruit Anthony Payne
Wildcats have 15 commitments in recruiting class
Comments
0 Share
Anthony Payne officially becomes a member of the Kansas State football program Wednesday when he signs a national letter of intent, but he feels like he’s been a team member since last July when he announced his decision to join the Wildcats.
“I was up there a lot this fall and just had my official (visit) last weekend so I’ve been able to get around K-State a whole lot lately,” Payne said. “It will be difficult waiting to get there but I’m enjoying the process of getting ready to get up there. I’m excited to do the training, the running and lifting weights, to get prepared.”
The process of preparation is one Payne embraces.
“I feel like I can out-work anybody on the football field,” he said. “I feel like I have more passion than anyone out there at all times.”
Payne, a defensive end from Raymore-Pecuilar High School in Peculiar, Mo., is one of 16 known commitments in K-State’s 2017 recruiting class. The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Payne is a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, rated the No. 7 recruit in Missouri and No. 38 nationally at his position (strongside end).
A long-time K-State fan, Payne’s decision came down to the Wildcats and Michigan but K-State was always the front-runner.
“In the process you don’t want to count any schools out but it just made sense the whole time, especially when they offered early,” he said. “I didn’t want to wait because it was such a great fit for me.
“They hold up the ‘Family’ sign before the game and have banners all around the stadium. It’s not just a saying, it’s an actual feeling. It’s the essence of the program with the students and the football team.”
Payne amassed 79 tackles his senior season at Raymore-Pec with 12 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
“This year he became what I would call a student of the game,” said Raymore-Pec coach Tom Kruse. “It’s not a surprise that he got double-teamed almost every snap, even when we moved him around. His gets off the football and he’s violent. He has violent hands, and with his edge rushing speed he can get places very quickly.
“This year he became a down-the-line of scrimmage kind of guy. Teams would find where he was located and try to run the other direction. He started to figure out that, ‘If I take this angle, I’m going to get there. It may be a one- or two-yard gain but I’m going to get there.’ “
During the recruiting process Payne became close friends with another K-State defensive end signee, Wyatt Hubert of Shawnee Heights. Hubert graduated early and already has signed, enrolling at K-State this semester.
The two incoming freshmen could form a formidable tandem in the future at a position that has been productive for the Wildcats. Jordan Willis was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and a projected high-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and Reggie Walker was the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.
“That’s seems to be something a lot of people bring up,” Payne said of playing with Hubert, Rivals’ No. 29 national strongside end and No. 4 Kansas prospect. “We can benefit each other more than anything. It’s something we talk about, like how can we help each other get better.”
The Wildcats’ recruiting list includes four in-state offensive linemen, including Capital-Journal All-State Top 11 selection Josh Rivas of Hutchinson and All-Class 4A pick Harrison Creed from Ulysses.
K-State has four of Rivals’ top 10 Kansas prospects: No. 4 Hubert, No. 7 Ben Adler, an offensive guard from Wichita Trinity; No. 8 Rivas and No. 10 Sammy Wheeler, a quarterback from St. James Academy.
On the final weekend before signing day, three of K-State’s top remaining targets remained undecided:
- Evan Fields, a safety from Midwest City, Okla., is expected to make a decision Monday with Notre Dame, Arizona State, Oregon, TCU, Baylor and UCLA among the other contenders.
- Daniel Green, an inside linebacker from Portland, Ore., visited K-State last weekend and is considering Oregon State, Utah and Mississippi.
- Elijah Walker, a safety from Cerritos (Calif.) College where he was a teammate of current Wildcat cornerback D.J. Reed, had committed to K-State but re-opened his recruitment and could be leaning toward TCU.
K-STATE COMMITMENTS
Ben Adler, OG, 6-4, 310, Wichita (Trinity)
Josh Brown, DB, 6-1, 205, Fairburn, Ga. (Langston Hughes)
Harrison Creed, OL, 6-5, 310, Ulysses
x-Xavier Davis, DE, 6-6, 250, Phoenix, Ariz. (Pima CC)
Bernard Goodwater, RB, 5-19, 175, Dallas, Texas (Carter)
x-Wyatt Hubert, DE, 6-4, 250, Topeka (Shawnee Heights)
x-Eli Huggins, DT, 6-4, 285, Cummings, Ga. (West Forsythe)
Bill Kuduk, TL, 6-5, 290, Chicago, Ill. (Marist)
Aidan Mills, OT, 6-5, 265, Newton
Spencer Misko, TE, 6-5, 235, Keller, Texas
Anthony Payne, DE, 6-2, 255, Peculiar, Mo. (Raymore-Pec)
Josh Rivas, OT, 6-6, 330, Hutchinson
Chabastin Taylor, WR, 6-3, 210, Giddings, Texas
Danny Walker, OLB, 6-3, 215, Wheaton, Ill. (North)
Sammy Wheeler, QB, 6-4, 200, Lenexa (St. James Academy)
Drew Wiley, DT, 6-4, 290, Vinton, Iowa
x-Signed, enrolled for spring semester
