Ray-Pec defensive end Anthony Payne commits to Kansas State

When he began playing football in grade school, Anthony Payne quickly discovered his favorite portion of practice. It was the Oklahoma drill, during which he and a teammate would line up a few yards part, then run toward another and clash until one was tackled.

“I liked smacking people more than I liked getting smacked,” he said.

Thus, he navigated toward the defensive side of the football. For nearly a decade, he has made a home there, most recently on the Raymore-Peculiar defensive line. His senior season begins in five days.

Soon thereafter, he will carry his mantra into Manhattan, Kan.

Payne committed to Kansas State this week, where he plans to join the defensive line. He is ranked as a three-star recruit on Rivals.com.

“The things I looked for in all the schools I visited was the location and opportunities for playing time,” Payne said. “Both of those really stood out to me at K-State. It was kind of a no-brainer.”

But there were a lot of options.

Payne (6-2, 255 pounds) had 18 scholarship offers, including a summer offer from Michigan that he received after attending coach Jim Harbaugh’s satellite camp at Blue Springs South last month.

For Raymore-Peculiar, Payne plays primarily defensive end — and he believes that’s where his college career will begin, too. As a junior last fall, he was credited with 62 tackles (41 solo), 4  1/2 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. He was named to the Missouri Class 6 all-state first team.

“It’s been stressful trying to make the right decision, so it’s a relief that I found a place (where) I really want to be,” Payne said. “I’m ready to focus on my high school team this season.

This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 2:47 PM with the headline "Ray-Pec defensive end Anthony Payne commits to Kansas State."