Alabama defensive tackle Da'Ron Payne can do it all.
Not only does he swallow up running backs, he’s got good concentration to catch footballs from his defensive lineman position. Oh... and he can run routes too.
The 6-foot-2, 308-pound Payne did all three in the span of a few minutes in the the third quarter of Monday’s Sugar Bowl.
The big junior was the beneficiary of a good pass rush on Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant. Defensive end Anfrenee Jennings beat his opposing offensive lineman and hit Bryant as soon as he was letting go of the ball. The ball fluttered into the hands of Payne who returned it 21 yards to the Clemson 42-yard line.
But that was just the beginning. The Crimson Tide moved the football down to the Tigers 1-yard line, when coach Nick Saban decided to send in his jumbo package -- which included Payne.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts faked the handoff, while Payne crept out of the backfield. Once he was open, Hurts tossed him the football for the touchdown. The Crimson Tide went ahead 17-6 midway through the third quarter.
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