Payton Page, 2025 NFL Combine
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Former Clemson defensive lineman Payton Page working out at the 2025 NFL Combine.
Undrafted New York Jets rookie Payton Page has changed his life and NFL future after undergoing a very necessary physical transformation.
“After enrolling at Clemson weighing 395 pounds, Page became serious about nutrition — he has lost more than 100 pounds,” Dane Brugler of The Athletic revealed in “The Beast.”
“Clemson DT Payton Page was 395. He has worked on his body. He’s down to 305. #Falcons DT Ruke Orhorhoro helped him get down. Lots of salads. Not eating after 5 pm,” D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution posted on social media.
On the Jets’ official roster sheet, Page is listed at 6-foot-4 and tipped the scales at 300 pounds.
Page, 22, was not selected during the 2025 NFL draft. Instead, he signed a three-year $2.9 million deal as a UDFA with the Jets.
Page Has a Chance to Make Some Noise During Jets Offseason
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic ranked which UDFAs the Jets signed as having the best chance of making the final 53-man roster over the coming months.
Rosenblatt gave Page the third-best odds of any undrafted free agent to make the roster.
“Page has a shot to stick around with a good summer. Page is more of a projection but he was widely regarded as a draftable player because of his potential. He was a backup behind a host of defensive linemen for the first few years of his career — and behind the scenes he worked on his nutrition, dropping from 395 pounds when he arrived to 300 now. In 2024, PFF had him graded 45th overall among 191 qualifying defensive tackles. And among defensive tackles with at least 300 pass-rushing snaps, he ranked 15th of 32. He had three tackles for loss, a half-sack and an interception — which he returned for a 57-yard touchdown — in 2024,” Rosenblatt said.
Absorbing as much information as possible from his teammates will only increase his chances. During the first week of OTAs, the Jets photographers captured Page picking the brain of superstar defensive tackle Quinnen Williams on the sidelines.
Those conversations can only help.
Undrafted rookie Payton Page talking ball with one of the best DTs in the game, Quinnen Williams.
The #Jets didn’t take a defensive tackle during the 2025 #NFLDraft, Page has a clear path to making the 53-man roster if he takes advantage of his opportunities.
Definitely someone… pic.twitter.com/vaP2wRhaCW
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) May 21, 2025
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The Traits Are There for Page
Despite the 2025 NFL draft being heralded as one of the deepest in decades at the DT position, the Jets didn’t select a single one.
That opens up an opportunity for others to seize the day.
“Page collected 191 tackles and 55 tackles for loss over his first three years (his senior year was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic) [in high school],” Brugler revealed in “The Beast.”
NFL Media Group’s Chad Reuter said Page was a “Top 40 overall recruit nationally,” coming out of high school. He chose to go to Clemson out of high school.
Page appeared in 53 games, but he only started for one season with the Tigers.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein explained it is because he “spent time playing behind NFL-caliber defensive tackles while at Clemson.”
In other words, he had to wait his turn.
Page went undrafted because he had limited starting experience, and the experience he had resulted in a “lack of production” according to Zierlein.
Antwan Staley of the New York Daily News said on social media that Page “showed flashes” in college and is worth kicking the tires on.
Payton Page typically lined up as a three-tech at Clemson. He didn’t have a ton of production after registering 60 tackles in 0.5 sacks in four seasons, but Page showed flashes of being a decent run stuffer in spots.
Not a bad player to kick the tires on as an undrafted free… https://t.co/RcAolx0t8y
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) April 28, 2025
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