Alabama football steals 5-star DT Damon Payne from Big Ten country

Nick Saban and Alabama football landed one of the best defensive tackles in the country in Damon Payne from Big Ten country.

Nick Saban started his career as a head coach in the Midwest with Toledo back in 1990 before leaving for the Cleveland Browns’ defensive coordinator job.

Then the Michigan State job opened and he decided to leave the NFL to head back to the college ranks as a head coach. He coached the Spartans until 2000 and recruited well in Big Ten country, so he’s familiar with the area.

While that may not be exactly what helped him steal a five-star talent like Damon Payne away from Big Ten territory, it probably didn’t hurt that he was familiar with the area.

On Sunday evening, Alabama landed the No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2021 class as Payne picked the Crimson Tide over Kentucky, Arizona State, USC and Michigan State. This is what we call “the rich just keep getting richer” as he becomes the third five-star in Alabama’s 2021 class, moving the Crimson Tide up to No. 2 in the country.

Payne has a college-ready body at 6-foot-3.5 and 297 pounds so don’t be surprised if he has an early impact in 2021.

Defense has been Alabama’s specialty for years and it’s clear that Saban went big with Payne as he’s the best defensive tackle in the country with a frame that’s made for the SEC. He was virtually un-blockable at Belleville (Mich.) High and he’s going to benefit from the Tide’s coaching on that side of the ball. He has serious NFL talent.

Charles Power of 247Sports gives Alabama fans a little glimpse of what they can expect from the Michigan-based five-star, comparing him to A’Shawn Robinson as a second or third-round talent.

Expect big things from Payne as he joins an increasingly elite 2021 class at Alabama.