Four-Star Defensive Tackle Payton Page Commits to Clemson
The No. 7 defensive tackle for the class of 2021, Payton Page, announced his commitment to Clemson.
The North Carolina native is chose between his final three programs Clemson, North Carolina, and Tennessee; he announced his top three mid-April.
The 6-foot-4, 360-pound defensive tackle is the no. 4 overall player in North Carolina and no. 7 in his position for the class of 2021. For his junior year, Page recorded 71 tackles in 13 games with one fumble recovery.
Clemson's ability to still pull big name targets shouldn't leave Carolina fans questioning whether the recruiting trail has grown cold. Mack Brown and company are still reigning in the state of North Carolina, keeping prospects home.
With Page's recent commit to Clemson, they dropped Carolina nationally, and within the league, UNC is now No. 8 nationally and No. 2 in the ACC. Clemson is now 10.51 points above UNC in first place in the conference.
Page is a Sports Illustrated All-American candidate; John Garcia breaks down his game,
Prospect: Payton Page
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-4, 330 pounds
Position: Defensive Tackle
School: Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley
Schools of Interest: Considering Clemson, North Carolina, Tennessee, LSU and Oregon, among others.
Projected Position: Defensive Tackle
Frame: A wide, yet well-distributed 6-foot-4 frame can carry 330 pounds well. Will have the chance to trim while getting stronger at the next level.
Athleticism: Quicker than his frame suggests, Page can gather and replace better than most his size and holds his own off of the football as well as laterally. The same can be said for his closing speed in short areas although his game is still mostly founded in the power department.
Instincts: Page has a great feel for coming off of his initial angle on a rush. He knows when to push and settle relative to his responsibility and can impact a drive in both elements. He gets on top of the blocker off of the snap and typically works from within his frame.
Polish: A physical force with developing technique, Page split double teams en route to 29 stops behind the line of scrimmage as a junior anyway. A wide base allows him to anchor with leverage and hold the point. He overwhelms blockers one-on-one so the counter game features strong hands and efficient power moves in his limited repertoire. At the prep level he is simply bigger and stronger than the opposition.
Bottom Line: Page is a classic interior trenchman with staying power against the core of an offensive line. He can control the point of attack and push the pocket at will, the type of force that commands double teams and allows for the rest of the front seven to flourish. Still finding a way to get his, he has the chance to develop into a dominant force once his polish and pass-rushing ability improves.
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