Payne Durham NFL Draft Overview
Position: Tight End
Height: 6′-6″
Weight: 253 pounds
School: Purdue
2023 NFL Draft: Payne Durham Scouting Report
After spending the past five seasons with the Purdue Boilermakers, Payne Durham has declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. The tight end is coming off the best season of his career, recording 56 receptions for 560 yards and a whopping eight touchdowns in 13 games.
Payne Durham originally joined Purdue in 2018 but didn’t see the field until he earned a minor role in 2019. However, he finally earned some national recognition in the 2021 campaign, as he recorded 45 receptions for 467 yards and six touchdowns.
Strengths
- Has the build for the position – can handle the hits NFL players need to take;
- Physical presence in contested catch situations turns 50/50 balls into 60/40;
- Has a knack for finding the soft spots of zone coverage;
- Decent pass blocker – can support tackles with chips;
- Reliable hands that can haul in a pass while taking a hit.
Weaknesses
- Does not move well – straight-line player with lackluster agility;
- Lacks the deep speed to threaten the seam;
- Absolutely no natural movement to his break at top of routes;
- Needs to add more strength to handle defensive linemen as a run blocker;
- Can’t separate against man – every catch is a contested one.
NFL Comparison: Kevin Boss
Teams With Need at Position: Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs
Projection: Rounds 5-6
Bottom Line on Payne Durham
Payne Durham is a low-ceiling, high-floor NFL Draft prospect that should find his home near the bottom of a 53-man depth chart. Adjusting to the size of the NFL is one of the biggest challenges for every tight end prospect, but Durham should be able to handle this adjustment better than most.
He already has a professional build, and one glance at his tape will tell you that he already knows how to use his size to box out defenders and win contested passes. On top of that, he also has a sound football IQ, as he excels at finding holes in zone coverage and being a reliable safety net for his quarterback.
As far as the run game goes, Payne Durham has the strength required to block linebackers as both an in-line tight end and in space, so he should be able to contribute on all three downs. While he will struggle against defensive linemen, that’s pretty much true of every tight end prospect in the NFL Draft.
The biggest reason he won’t hear his name called until Day 3 is because of the low ceiling. Athleticism is important for every single position, but it’s especially important for tight ends, and Payne is a below-average athlete for the position. He lacks the top speed required to threaten the seam and the agility to run routes and separate. Basically, he can only be used as a check down option, and that is going to hurt his value in a draft loaded to the brim with tight end talent.
Ultimately, Payne Durham should be a fine backup tight end that can play a lot of roles, but he’ll never be a starter.
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