Jets UDFA DL Payton Page projected to make roster
The ex Tigers standout was named Third-team All-ACC in 2024. Page started all 14 games, recording 32 tackles and was named a team captain. Page participated in the Shrine Bowl, and also leaped a 33-inch vertical at the NFL scouting combine.
The Bleacher Report recently named one undrafted free agent capable of making the roster for all 32 teams. They chose Page for the Jets.
"The New York Jets should be looking to add quality depth along their defensive interior," Brent Sobleski wrote. "The group is shaky beyond the combination of Quinnen Williams and Derrick Nnadi. Leonard Taylor III provides some upside after making the roster as an undrafted free agent last year. Otherwise, the options consist of journeymen who can be upgraded."
"Payton Page didn't become a full-time starter along the Clemson defense until his final year on campus," Sobleski continued. "The Tigers are always loaded up front and even a highly regarded recruit of his caliber has to wait his turn. If New York's coaching staff uses him in the right way, he can plug a gap effectively and allow others to make plays."
It's accurate the Jets are searching for an effective interior defensive lineman to play next to Quinnen Williams. Derrick Nnadi was signed to a team-friendly deal, and Leonard Taylor III is expected to take a developmental step forward. Nothing is guaranteed to those players, and there should be lots of competition for playing time at camp. Page is a player capable of taking advantage.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
American Press
an hour ago
- American Press
Scooter Hobbs column: Can Nussmeier continue the LSU QB trend?
As long as we're playing the Talking Season game, let's work with the assumption that LSU's Garrett Nussmeier will win the Heisman Trophy this season. After all, the last two Tigers' quarterbacks who started as fifth-year seniors did it. How tough can it be, huh? Play along with me here. Joe Burrow had a Heisman Trophy to go along with his 2109 national championship season. Jayden Daniels had no defense — none, nada, zero — to go along with the championship-caliber offense he directed in 2023, yet even with an historically bad defense it still wasn't that far out of the playoffs. So, anyway, for today's exercise, as long as we're playing loose with assumptions, let's take it as fact that LSU's defense will continue the improvement it made a year ago. It will be better. So there you have it. Pretty simple. The math is not that complicated. Nussmeier Heisman trophy = LSU national championship. It's not even August yet. You can take anything you want for granted and still have a fighting chance arguing at the water cooler. Anyway, tossing defensive questions aside for the moment (or into the assumption basket, at any rate) it's just up to Nussmeier, with a little help from his friends, to win the Heisman. And any man on the street can tell you exactly what the Nuss Bus needs to do to claim the biggest prize. 'This offseason for me has been just watching all parts of my game, seeing all the areas where I need to be critical of myself and improve,' Nussmeier said recently. Then he hit on the two-prong obvious… 'whether it's taking care of the football or using my legs more in situations where I need to.' It's not rocket science. Run more and cut down on the interceptions. It's not like Nussmeier is a plow mule when running. He's certainly no gazelle like Daniels. But the suspicion is that he could pick his spots a little more and be effective enough running as a surprise to keep defenses more honest. You won't find many quarterback runners like Daniels, of course. When Burrow was in residence, however, coaches first of all had to convince him not to run, or at least that running should generally be the last option. They're massaging Nussmeier the opposite way, reminding him that when nobody is breaking open it doesn't mean the play failed if you run for a few yards. It's not like he looks hesistant to run, certainly not shying away from contact — more like he's slow to concede that a pass play just isn't working. That also might cut down on the 12 interceptions he threw last season. 'There's no hiding from the turnovers,' he said. 'It's more (that) … with the way I am as a player, an anticipation player, there's going to be some turnovers. The ones I need to eliminate are the ones where I'm trying to do too much, trying to make a play I don't need to.' Translation: He rarely sees a pass he doesn't think he can connect on. The first line of every Nussmeier scouting report seems to say, 'Can make all the throws.' It's why he'll likely follow Burrow and Daniels as high first-round NFL draft picks. Still, the dozen interceptions last year (in 337 attempts) certainly doesn't fit the LSU Heisman profile. Burrow was intercepted only six times in 527 attempts to win his Heisman, Daniels just four times in 327 attempts. But it's not like it was a chronic problem last year. More of a midseason flare-up. Nine of the 12 interceptions came in a five-game span, most notably the Texas A&M game where three picks sabotaged a 10-point lead. That was the catalyst for a three-game losing streak that any playoff talk. In the last of those three losses, 27-16 against Florida, there were no interceptions, but Nussmeier was sacked seven times (he had no more than two in any other game). The last four games he had only one interception with eight touchdown passes. 'There were times last year I may have made a mistake, where if I had put my head down, got back to the line of scrimmage, or ran for three yards and slid, it could have been a different outcome.' It's those kind of things that have occupied Nussmeier during the offseason. It's off the field as well, trying to bulk up, 'to be more durable to be able to run and make plays with my feet.' 'Obviously my goals are team goals,' he said. 'Me being the best version of myself will hopefully lead us into team goals.' * Scooter Hobbs covers LSU athletics for the American Press. You can reach him at
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
AJ Hinch not worried about Tigers' 6-game losing streak
The post AJ Hinch not worried about Tigers' 6-game losing streak appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Detroit Tigers entered the All-Star Break on a three-game losing streak, but kept the best record in the American League. They started the second half with two more losses to the Texas Rangers, extending the streak to six. Still, they are 59-40, the best team in the AL heading into Sunday Night Baseball. Tigers manager AJ Hinch told Dave Sessions of that he is not concerned about the slide. 'I don't really think our guys think about streaks either way,' Hinch said after Friday's loss pushed the streak to five. They went on to lose on Saturday for a sixth loss in a row. 'We will bounce back, and we're going to be fine. We've got to play a little bit better and make the right pitches and make the plays and put up a little bit of offense, and what we've done for 90-plus games.' Pitching has been an issue for the Tigers during their slide. Tarik Skubal allowed four runs for just the fourth time this season in a 12-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners. That was the first of three losses to Seattle that sent them into the break. Coming out of the break, they have dropped a series to the Rangers. Skubal heads back to the mound for Sunday night's series finale. The Tigers are 10.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central heading into Sunday's game. That is the largest division lead in baseball, giving them some cushion to go through a slide. Detroit has done that just in time to fix its flaws at the MLB trade deadline. The Tigers should be pushing for a starting pitcher and an infielder at the deadline. They have the top-ranked prospect pipeline in the entire league, according to making them big candidates to buy. Related: Tigers ace Tarik Skubal gets 'nasty' MLB shoutout in stunning night vs. Rangers Related: Tigers' Tarik Skubal delivers passionate message after return to win column
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tigers fans won't love team's trade deadline strategy
The post Tigers fans won't love team's trade deadline strategy appeared first on ClutchPoints. With the Detroit Tigers recording their 10th loss in the last 11 games, there could be fans wondering what the team plans to do at the trade deadline, though the answer might disappoint them. As there will be rumors around the Tigers ahead of the trade deadline next week, the strategy has been revealed by the ball club. It has been reported that Detroit will have a 'conservative approach' to the MLB trade deadline, which is on the evening of July 31, according to Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press. 'The Detroit Tigers aren't expected to make a big splash at the 2025 trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 31,' Petzold wrote. 'Instead, they're likely to take a conservative approach, targeting mid-tier relievers as the most realistic upgrade.' 'The Tigers don't plan to trade any of their five top-100 prospects (as ranked by MLB Pipeline), staying committed to their goal of long-term sustainability,' Petzold continued. 'They also value the unpredictability of their matchup-based offense and intend to rely on internal pitching options in hopes of rekindling their postseason magic.' Tigers still looking to be buyers at the trade deadline While the Tigers had been linked to stars such as Eugenio Suarez, it seems like that dream for fans is buried with the team taking a backseat and making lateral moves. It seems as if the team doesn't want to totally tap into their farm system for such players, though Petzold would say that Detroit and President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris will be 'buyers.' 'The Tigers will be buyers, but president of baseball operations Scott Harris isn't expected to trade like former general manager Dave Dombrowski — just as owner Christopher Ilitch doesn't spend like his late father, Mike Ilitch,' Petzold wrote. 'This isn't an all-in push to win the World Series in 2025. And the Tigers are OK with that. The Tigers think there's enough internal upside to hold steady.' 'They're confident Zach McKinstry can continue producing at a career-best rate, and even if a hitter like Javier Báez regresses, they expect either Parker Meadows or Matt Vierling to emerge as an impact bat. Kerry Carpenter is also lined up to return soon from a right hamstring injury. If needed, infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee could be promoted from Triple-A Toledo as a key right-handed bat in the final six weeks.' At any rate, it remains to be seen how active the Tigers will be when the trade deadline comes around on July 31, as the team is currently 60-44, putting them first in the AL Central, despite the present slump. Detroit plays the Toronto Blue Jays in the second of four games in the series on Friday night. Related: Reese Olson's confident message amid Tigers' brutal slump Related: AJ Hinch gets real on Tigers' 10th loss in 11 games
