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Cleveland Browns: 5 questions on Jordan Payton with Go Joe Bruin

By Thomas Moore

Sep 19, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Jordan Payton (9) is stopped by Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Micah Hannemann (7) (not pictured) after a pass play in the second quarter of the game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Jordan Payton (9) is stopped by Brigham Young Cougars defensive back Micah Hannemann (7) (not pictured) after a pass play in the second quarter of the game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Browns are hoping that wide receiver Jordan Payton can duplicate his college success at the NFL level.

The Cleveland Browns selected four wide receivers during the 2016 NFL Draft, setting up what should be a key position battle in training camp.

One of the participants in that battle will be former UCLA wide receiver Jordan Payton.

The 6-foot-1, 207-pound Payton is the Bruins’ all-time leader in receptions with 201. During the past two seasons he had 145 total receptions for 2,059 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was also the second-highest graded wide receiver in the draft class, according to Pro Football Focus, which wrote that:

"It’s tough to identify anything he does that’s special, but equally difficult to identify holes in his game, and at this point in the draft he’s a solid option."

“In the end, I landed in the best place with coach Hue Jackson as the head coach,” Payton told the team’s website. “It is going to be an unbelievable year for me, an unbelievable career for me with Cleveland. I am excited to take on this next step of my life. I can’t wait to get out there.”

Related: Getting to know the 2016 wide receivers

To learn more about Payton, we reached out to Michael Chavez from Go Joe Bruin for a virtual Q&A:

Q: What kind of player are the Browns getting in Payton?

Michael: The Browns are getting a very heady, blue collar receiver to add to their wideout group. Despite clearly being the top receiver at UCLA for the past two years, Payton never let his on-the-field success get to his head. He’s a physical, strong-handed pass catcher than can surprise defenders with his speed, and will become a reliable security blanket for a quarterback on third down and in the red zone.

Q: What is the one aspect of his game that sets Payton apart from other wide receivers?

Michael: I would have to say it is his physicality and his willingness to get his nose dirty in the run game. A lot of receivers have strong hands or solid builds, but not too many look to initiate contact the way that Payton will. Whether it was a designed screen or blocking downfield for another receiver who caught the ball underneath, Payton does so much more than just get in the way.

As a pass catcher, he is a load to bring down and often drags corners for a few extra yards. He can bounce off potential big hits and beats his man in coverage, not by being the fastest, but by bullying anyone who tries to press him.

Q: Payton is described as a player who doesn’t have any one outstanding trait, but is UCLA’s career leader in receptions. Can he be more than just a “possession receiver” at the NFL level?

Michael: Payton does fit the mold of a possession receiver but has the potential to be so much more. I’m going to catch some flack for this but I do think he compares to Larry Fitzgerald as a player. He’s not as big or as fast, but can do some of the same things that Fitzgerald does and did for the Cardinals earlier in his career. Payton has the speed to be used in intermediate routes and occasionally go deep.

He isn’t going to burn guys off the line or scare defenses week in and week out with his deep speed, but he will get open down the field. He’s much more versatile than he was able to show at UCLA.

Related: What to do with all these wide receivers?

Q: Payton did not have many deep route plays while at UCLA. Was that a function of his limitations or the offense that the Bruins run?

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Michael: Despite not being used a ton to threaten defenses downfield, Payton averaged 14.2 yards per catch the past two years. That being said, I believe the UCLA offense didn’t key him as the explosive guy because he was so much more valuable in the intermediate zones.

So many of his catches came on slants because he’s such a big, strong kid that he just shields defenders from the ball, making it impossible for a corner to make a play on the ball. But he also has the talent and athleticism to succeed on post plays or slants.

Q: What’s the one thing about Payton that Browns fans are going to love?

Michael: Cleveland is a working-class city and they take a great amount of pride in that, which they should. Payton is a hard working, no-nonsense kind of guy. His toughness, tenacity and blue collar attitude will fit in perfectly on the North Coast.

He’s also a team guy. He will do all that he can to help out the team, whether that is being a starter, a special teams gunner or returning kicks and punts. He’s highly thought of by the UCLA coaches and was selected to room with UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen when he came in as a true freshman. That’s the kind of player the Browns are getting and they should be very excited for his future.

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