VJ Payne was drafted No. 228 overall by the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Kansas State. Career totals post once the class takes the field.
2026 NFL Draft · Rd 7, Pick 12 · #228 overall
VJ Payne Kansas State Draft
VJ Payne was drafted No. 228 overall by the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Kansas State. Career totals post once the class takes the field.
- Overall pick
- #228
- Round
- 7
- Draft class
- 2026
The pick
How VJ Payne came off the board in 2026.
- Position
- Safety S
- College
-
Kansas State
Big 12 at the draft
- Measurables
- 6'3" · 206 lbs
- Hometown
- Gainesville, GA
- Pre-draft board
- No. 124 prospect64.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
Career totals post once the class takes the field.
No regular-season career on record yet.
Games, starts, and approximate value appear here once the season data lands.
See the rest of the 2026 classAround pick 228
Who came off the board on either side of VJ Payne.
Navy
Miami (OH)
NC State
Kansas State in the 2026 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
VJ Payne in the 2026 NFL Draft
VJ Payne is a Safety out of Kansas State selected No. 228 overall by the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL Draft. Career totals post once the class takes the field. Kansas State has produced 85 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was VJ Payne drafted?
VJ Payne was selected No. 228 overall by the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL Draft (Rd 7, Pick 12). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2026/vj-payne.
What college did VJ Payne play for?
VJ Payne played college football at Kansas State in the Big 12. See every Kansas State draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/kansas-state-wildcats.
How did VJ Payne's NFL career turn out?
Career totals post once the class takes the field. Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2026/vj-payne.