When a player transitions from the JUCO ranks, expectations are often low. He gets no attention from the NFL, and the Division 1 colleges overlook him entirely when it comes to scholarships. That’s why few players reach the top and often stumble, even when their talent is evident. It seems that a situation akin to this could have unfolded with Pheldarius Payne, the linebacker from Lackawanna College in Pennsylvania. When he began delivering those outstanding performances, guiding the college to the 2019 NJCAA National Championship, even the major programs couldn’t help but take notice. Despite facing numerous challenges along the way, Payne kept pushing forward and has now officially joined a UFL team, paving the way for a professional career.
After his incredible JUCO season in 2019, recording 30 tackles and 4 sacks, Nebraska finally came calling and took him on their 2020 squad as a junior. Payne quickly started repaying that faith and recorded 21 tackles and a sack, along with two tackles against a 5th-ranked Ohio State team. Featuring as an outside linebacker, Payne returned for the 2021 season for the Cornhuskers and played 10 games, with an injury keeping him out of the rest of the two games. The injury made him transfer to Virginia Tech for the 2022 season, and then another season-ending injury followed. That prevented him from taking the field. However, after returning in the 2023 season, Payne terrorized offenses.
Payne appeared in all games in the season, recording 31 tackles and 4 sacks, emerging as a pivotal man on VT’s D line. The performances should have opened the doors to his NFL draft, but that opportunity again gave him dejection. Payne went undrafted but didn’t lose hope, featuring on practice squads of the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts, although the teams released him quickly. But now, the player has found something to cling to as the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL have taken him aboard. This is in no way the end of the journey, but it sure looks to be the start of Payne’s redemption arc.
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Before joining the UFL, Payne also tried to showcase his skills for other teams, too. For instance, last year he worked out as a defensive end for the Patriots, but that move also didn’t come to fruition. Realistically, if not for the injury in his 2022 season, Payne’s story might have been something else altogether. Even in his pro day at Virginia Tech, Payne was impressive, showcasing immense talent despite his JUCO roots.
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Standing at 286 lbs, Payne clocked an impressive 4.85 time in the 40-yard dash and completed the 10-yard split in 1,65 seconds. That showed explosiveness and an ability to take a lineman head-on. Moreover, when he was healthy, Payne wreaked havoc for Virginia Tech, finishing seventh amongst all DTs in the ACC that also had players like Tyler Davis and Leonard Taylor III. That’s quality right there, and so, it is just a matter of time before Payne starts to perform in the UFL and the NFL teams take notice.
Pheldarius Payne has several stories to take inspiration from
History has been littered with players who have chosen to take the UFL and XFL route after getting ignored by the NFL. Take P.J. Walker, for example. The guy ran riot in the XFL before the Carolina Panthers came calling for him. Josh Johnson is another quarterback who returned as a veteran backup for the NFL teams after playing his career in the UFL. Moreover, legends like Kurt Warner were throwing balls at the Arena Football League before winning the Super Bowl, triggering the “American Underdog” persona. Payne, too, can have a similar career, and Nebraska will have a central role in it, giving Payne a platform.
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“Thank you to all of Husker Nation and the state of Nebraska for showing me so much love and support. Thank you to my coaches and teammates for teaching me a lot of stuff on and off the field that I will never forget. The memories and brotherhood will last a lifetime. I’m sorry we couldn’t get it done for y’all this year, but I wish my brothers nothing but the best! #GBR,” said Payne about his Nebraska tenure.
For now, though, it’s still a challenge for Payne, and that can drive him to do great things. His journey from coming as a 3-star JUCO prospect to getting selected in the UFL is still remarkable, as it also comes with some perks. Players, for now, receive a minimum $62,000 salary, playing 10 regular-season games that also include year-round health coverage and a subsidized COBRA for the offseason. That can give some incentive for the Suffolk, Virginia native as he goes on to achieve glory.