Payton Page is a rare player. He came to Clemson as a top-100 recruit and didn't really earn starting snaps until his senior year, and yet opted to stick around and prove himself instead of jumping into the transfer portal for more playing time.
Page was ranked the No. 94 recruit in the 2021 class and he chose Clemson over Alabama and 30 other offers. And he could've found opportunities to start elsewhere, but he stuck around.
Not only did Page stick around, but he worked hard on his body, trimming nearly 100 pounds off his frame during his four years and that culminated with a successful senior season.
As a senior, Page had 32 total tackles, three tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and a pick-six.
This was good enough for Page to earn an opportunity with the New York Jets over the weekend as an undrafted free agent.
Payton Page typically lined up as a three-tech at Clemson. He didn't have a ton of production after registering 60 tackles in 0.5 sacks in four seasons, but Page showed flashes of being a decent run stuffer in spots.
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) April 28, 2025
Not a bad player to kick the tires on as an undrafted free… https://t.co/RcAolx0t8y
The above analysis of the Page signing is spot-on. He wasn't the most productive player over his four years at Clemson with 60 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks, but he showed flashes of being an elite run-stuffer. While his pass rush could use some work, his big body can plug holes quickly and give opposing offenses fits.
Page should carve out a nice role in the NFL if he can catch on with a roster and New York feels like a good spot for him because the Jets can use all the help they can get.
I really like Page's chances to make an NFL roster at some point. He showed plenty of growth at Clemson and I don't think he's even scratched the surface yet.