Michigan State Target Payton Kirkland is More than an Athlete
Starting as a basketball player, offensive tackle, Payton Kirkland found himself taking a new direction.
For Kirkland, moving to Florida meant living the football lifestyle.
“I’m still a hooper at heart. I play basketball over the Summer, but I couldn’t really this year because the season cut into football season,” Kirkland said.
In August 2019, Kirkland decided to stick with football for the long haul.
Going into his sophomore year of high school at Dr. Phillips, at 15-years-old, Kirkland received 27 offers from schools in the NCAA as a 2023 recruit.
Kirkland said his next step is to “work harder now than I ever have before. Show the incoming players, the incoming freshmen, the upperclassmen, whoever it is, that this stuff doesn’t come for free, you have to work for it.”
His coaches have experience putting players in the league, such as NFL alumni, HaHa Clinton-Dix, a safety for the Dallas Cowboys, Marcell Harris, a safety for the San Francisco 49ers, and Matt Milano, linebacker for the Buffalo Bills.
“It makes me feel like I have to step into some large shoes. I’m just another player they put into the league. I want to be more than that,” Kirkland said.
Payton Kirkland aspires to be more than an NFL player.
“I feel like people should know I’m not just an athlete. I’m an artist. I can sing, I can dance. I’m really into engineering, and I’m smart. I see myself as an all-around person, not just an athlete. That’s what a lot of people see,” Kirkland said.
Only a couple of friends know Kirkland beyond being a 6-7, 310-pound offensive tackle.
“I’m an artist because what I do on the field is artwork. I’m painting my path out for me. That’s how I see it,” Kirkland said.
Each move like a brushstroke on a painting, Kirkland pays attention to details and patterns on the field.
“It’s being technically sound and learning the angles. Being played under offensive line and defensive line as offensive tackle, now I know what the defensive end is going to do, and I’m able to angle my body to certain angles, like 90-degree angles and 45-degree angles.”
As an artist, paying attention to details and adjusting for the next move can take more time.
“Sometimes, I don’t like taking too much time on the field; I want to get things done quickly. But at the end of the day, that’s really my masterpiece I’m trying to work on.”
On his journey to create his masterpiece, Kirkland said, “There’s something I want to tell people. Watch for the next few years and see how much I progress.”
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