Michigan defensive tackle Damon Payne Jr. has signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent.
As outlined in our NFL Draft profile, Payne is a 6-foot-3, 308-pound defensive tackle out of Belleville, Michigan. A five-star recruit, he was heavily targeted by all the major players in college football before committing to Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
After spending four years in Tuscaloosa, Payne transferred to Michigan where he racked up 16 tackles, two tackles for loss and
one pass deflection as a graduate student in 2025. He was named Michigan’s Defensive Player of the Week twice and was a steady presence along the interior of the defensive line.
He excels as a run-stuffer and a double-team absorber, plays with a relatively low pad-level and has an explosive lower-body. However, Payne struggles mightily in the pass game, as he has virtually no pass-rush moves and struggles to disengage from blockers.
Payne will be looking to crack the roster in a situation-specific role on obvious running downs.
