Donald Payne is used to being first. He was a part of Stetson’s first football recruiting class in 2012 when they re-launched the program.

During his senior year he led the NCAA in tackles and became the first Hatter to reach the NFL two years ago as an undrafted free agent.

But there were many speed bumps along the way. The Georgia born specialist and current linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars sheds light on the man he has leaned on to become that pioneer.

“You would say, it was a crazy –beautiful great relationship all in one,” Payne explained.

“Donald is more like my son than just my player and that’s the kind of relationship we have,” Stetson Football Defensive Coordinator Brian Young added.

Payne lost his father when he was 13-years old and he gravitated to Young since stepping foot on Stetson’s campus.

 “I call his mom. We talk about things outside of football and just life period,” Young said of the relationship.

Young is now helping Payne through the next phase of his adulthood, navigating through the NFL and a position change.

“I’ve been playing DB my whole life and so switching to linebacker it is really crazy for me,” Payne said of making the change this off season.

”I had to sit down, man everything I know was getting switched around and you know at the biggest stage.”

“We talked to him about him just playing with his hands and getting off those blocks of the bigger guys..I mean it’s a different deal when you are inside the box,” Young explained to the 24-year-old.

Payne knows the challenges that are ahead. On his last free weekend before the season he was back at his alma mater - visiting with Young and the staff looking for more pointers.

“It’s kinda amazing when we got started we were just a start up program and all of the sudden we have a player who’s leading the nation in tackles,” Stetson Head Football Coach Roger Hughes explained.

“Payne was a player who’s set the record for most tackles in a game on all levels and I think he came 14-tackles or 12-tackles away from setting an all-time NCAA record.”

Those numbers don’t mean much in the NFL —as Payne knows he has to prove himself every day to keep a spot on the Jags roster.

“You have to keep that mindset and just know that a lot of people are counting on me but it’s not really about proving those people wrong it’s about proving people that believe in me right,” Payne said.

His biggest believer is Coach Brian Young.

“My opinion, Donald Payne is Stetson Football and football here at Stetson is Donald Payne. I think the kid has untapped potential and growth ahead of him in reference to playing in the NFL and beyond,” Young added glowingly.

In the Jaguars 2018 debut against the New York Giants Donald Payne recorded a fumble recovery.