VJ Payne

Former safety at Kansas State. 2025: 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, 59 tackles.

S · Kansas State · Sr. · #7

6′3″ · 208 lb · Gainesville, GA

CFB Index 56 · #214 of 544 safetiesMedium confidenceDrafted by New York — Rd 7, Pick 12, #228 overall

How he plays

Plays like an extra linebacker near the line.

Solo tackles: 92nd percentile.

The full scouting read

The numbers

interception · 2025

3 PBU · 59 tackles · 3 TFL

Best game: 1 PBU, 10 tackles, at Utah

His career numbers, season by season

The story

Former safety at Kansas State. 2025: 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, 59 tackles.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kansas State in 2022.
Drafted round 7 by the New York in 2026.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Four seasons at Kansas State, 194 tackles — drafted at #228 overall by New York.

His career

He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.

20226 games

Signed with Kansas State3-star out of Buford

2026

Drafted by New Yorkround 7, pick 228

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#1090 national

CFB

College

Kansas State

2022–2025

NFL

NFL Draft

R7 · #228

New York · 2026

Coaching lineage · 2022–2025

1 coach

2022–2025

Chris Klieman

Kansas State

Played his entire career under Chris Klieman.

Where He Ended Up · NFL

New York2026 NFL rookie season

#228Rd 7 · Pick 12

New York2026 NFL rookie season

View college career stats ↓

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

4 seasons under Chris Klieman — 34-18 over that span.

2022Kansas State10-4HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning

2023Kansas State9-4HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning

2024Kansas State9-4HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning

2025Kansas State6-6HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning, slow tempo

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

56Quality starter #214 of 544?

Medium confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: solo tackles (92nd percentile). Strength: tackles (86th percentile). Concern: qb hurries (22nd percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Solo tackles#212 / 2975 · 92nd pct

Tackles#413 / 2975 · 86th pct

Passes defended#517 / 2975 · 78th pct

Tackles for loss#1001 / 2975 · 63rd pct

3.0

Interceptions#304 / 817 · 31st pct

Sacks#1575 / 2975 · 24th pct

0.0

QB hurries#1662 / 2975 · 22nd pct

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home7g	4.4	0.3	0.0	0.1
Road5g	5.6	0.2	0.0	0.4

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-77g	5.3	0.4	0.0	0.1
Weeks 8+5g	4.4	0.1	0.0	0.4

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Collin Klein

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2025

Starter

Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

56 · #214 of 544 safeties

Three-star recruit. Now #214 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2025	Kansas State	59	40	3.0	0.0	3	1	--
2024	Kansas State	64	40	3.5	0.0	3	2	--
2023	Kansas State	57	44	3.0	0.0	3	1	--
2022	Kansas State	14	10	1.0	1.0	--	--	--
Career		194	134	10.5	1.0	9	4	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2025

W 38–35

vs North Dakota

1 TFL · 3 SOLO · 3 TOT

Edged out North Dakota at home in a shootout.

With A. Johnson — 318 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 58.1 · 43 rush yds (7 car) · S. McClannan — 41 AVG · 43 LONG · 4 NO

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week