JaVonta

Payton

Payton (6'1/180) was injured during the first quarter of last weekend’s loss to Georgia, but HC Josh Heupel said after the game that the senior could be back this weekend. That may not be the case, unfortunately, as Payton was a limited participant during pregame warmups. If he’s unable to play, the senior’s last chance to suit up during the regular season would be next weekend against Vanderbilt.

Payton (6'1/180) was injured during the first quarter, with the pain in his left arm/shoulder deemed to be too much for him to play through. The fact that Heupel believes Payton could be good to go next weekend is a positive sign when it comes to the severity of the injury.

Payton (6'1/180) suffered the injury during the first quarter, with either his left arm or shoulder being the affected body part. The senior wide receiver caught one pass for eight yards before exiting Saturday’s game. With Payton sidelined, Jalin Hyatt and Princeton Fant will be asked to do more in the passing game for the Volunteers.

Payton (6'1/180) just transferred in from Mississippi State where he caught 19 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown in HC Mike Leach’s crowded receiver room. The Athletic’s Ubben speculates that Payton’s speed could help distinguish himself from Jalin Hyatt and Velus Jones Jr. who may be better suited for slot work.

Payton (6'1/180) spent two seasons at Mississippi State after beginning his college career in the JUCO ranks, catching 28 passes for 372 yards and one touchdown. The senior wide receiver makes the move from Starkville to Knoxville, where he’ll have one season of eligibility remaining.

Payton (6'1/180) signed on with Mississippi State’s 2019 recruiting class coming out of the JUCO ranks. He was able to work his way into the receiving rotation by degrees thereafter, logging nine catches for 147 yards in 2019 and bumping up to a 19-225-1 receiving line for the past season. These aren’t mind-blowing numbers by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re sturdy enough in a low-level way that Payton should see decent interest in the portal.

Payton (6'1/180) is a former three-star JUCO transfer who arrived on campus last season. He was named a starting inside wide receiver for the Bulldogs, and had a huge first game against LSU, catching six passes for 122 yards. However he eventually shuttled down the depth chart, catching six passes for 46 yards over his last three games. He hasn’t appeared in a game since MSU’s November 21 31-24 loss to Georgia, so it’s unknown if he will be able to suit up against Tulsa on Thursday.