Daron Payne entered the NFL as a draft pick by the Washington Commanders in the first round (13th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. Payne signed a four-year contract with a total value of $14.4 million, which included an $8.56 million signing bonus.
Payne is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. He started his career at an early age, and by the time he got to high school, he knew he would make it on the school team.
He received his secondary education at Shades Valley High School in Birmingham, Alabama, and was a member of the Mounties high school football team.
In terms of his potential as a college football player, he was a five-star prospect and made a verbal commitment to the University of Alabama.
Payne attended the University of Alabama, where he played three seasons with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Payne recorded 13 tackles and 0.5 sacks in his first season as a true freshman at Alabama in 2015. He had a total of 36 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a sophomore in 2016.
Payne was named a CFP National Champion in 2017. He also received numerous awards, including the 2018 Sugar Bowl Defensive MVP and the 2018 CFP National Championship Defensive MVP.
Is Daron Payne Married?
Daron Payne is not married. He is in a relationship with Nakoma Rutledge. Nakoma is also from the city of Birmingham, Alabama. She has been dating Daron Payne for about three years.