NFL Draft: Re-grading every first round pick from the 2018 NFL Draft

NFL Draft: Re-grading every first round pick from the 2018 NFL Draft: Number 13 overall, NT Daron Payne

It isn’t always about the speed of the game or the physicality of the players at the next level that derails NFL careers before they even begin, most times, it’s the lack of consistency. One game, a player can look like the best player in the league, then the next, God awful.

For defensive tackle Daron Payne, he seems to have the consistency part down pact. Without the need for much adjustment, Payne proved he belonged the moment he dug his cleats into an NFL turf. All three of his years in the league have looked remarkably similar. Roughly four sacks and over 50 tackles have been the numbers throughout his first three seasons in his young career. His ability to pressure the quarterback has been a lifesaver for the Washington Football Team. Just last year, he racked up eight QB hits and seven tackles for loss.

Along with a plethora of players on the defensive side of the ball, Payne helped secure an unlikely playoff birth for his squad and although they bounced early, his Washington Football Team gave the eventual Super Bowl champs in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all they could handle. If Payne continues his consistent play, he probably won’t make a Pro Bowl team but he’ll always be one of the main cogs on a playoff contender.

Grade: B