Meet 2023 Offensive Lineman Payton Kirkland, the 6-Foot-8 Prospect LSU Football is in Strong Pursuit Of
Payton Kirkland is just now entering his sophomore season at Dr. Phillips High School and already has the physical tools to compete with the best college football has to offer. At 6-foot-8, 315 pounds, Kirkland's size has drawn attention from some of the top programs in the country.
Sporting over 20 Division I offers, Kirkland says he's talked to just about every major school that's offered him so far, a list that includes LSU, Arizona State, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan State, Auburn, Florida and Maryland. It's been an exciting few months for the Orlando native, who's using his early recruitment success as motivation.
"I'm working harder than I ever have before. I have even more of a reason to prove myself on the field," Kirkland said. "Before it was to prove that I could play and now it's to prove that what's going on is actually about my game and not just about my size."
The Tigers offer in particular was one that stood out to Kirkland as receiving an offer from the national champs let him know he's on the right path to success. In fact, the moment was so exciting that Kirkland couldn't fall asleep that night, electing to fit in a 3 a.m. workout just to burn off that excitement.
While he hasn't been able to talk with coach Ed Orgeron and the staff yet, it's something that is currently in the works as he hopes to build that relationship with the staff as quickly as possible.
"It's a huge opportunity to have, to be able attend the school and play for the program that just won the national championship," Kirkland said. "I like that they're not too run heavy, not too pass heavy. It's a nice mix and I currently attend a run heavy school so I like the idea of more balance."
While Kirkland has proven in his first year to be a great run blocker, this offseason has been about improving his pass protection. Kirkland equated his development in the passing attack to a dance and how much better he's getting at it as he practices his movement more and more.
His flexibility and explosiveness have improved a ton since his freshman season, which are two areas Kirkland devoted copious amounts of time to this offseason. Entering his sophomore season, Kirkland views his athleticism as something that really stands out for someone his size.
Video courtesy of Quan Shot It Productions
"What I really love about playing is that I can move another man against his own will," Kirkland said. "College coaches tell me all the time that they think I could become a monster but right now I'm just working to be the best I possibly can. I've still got a long way to go."
Kirkland grew up watching a lot of Ohio State but the Tigers were never too far out of earshot as his mother has always been a big LSU fan. The two followed LSU's remarkable 15-0 march towards a national championship
"The offensive line is probably what stood out to me the most from last season," Kirkland said. "The communication, the aggressiveness and the tenacity they play with is all at a high level."
In regards to his recruitment, Kirkland had originally planned to take visits this summer but instead has focused on building relationships with all of the programs. In Florida, there isn't much he's allowed to do with his teammates outside of strength and conditioning workouts so getting on the phone with offensive line coach James Cregg has been a nice distraction.
"One thing I love about LSU is the energy," Kirkland said. "It's always upbeat, it's always exciting to watch them play and you can see that energy starts with coach O and goes all the way down the sidelines. I really like that because I'm a really energetic person, I like to play with that confidence and that high energy."
