The DMV, I've always felt, could be a gold mine for an SEC program that has to recruit out-of-state, like Tennessee. Throw in the fact that Knoxville, along with Columbia, S.C., are the two closest SEC cities to the DMV, and it turns into a potential gold mine for the Vols.
Payne was an early lean to some ACC programs, but Tommy Thigpen, who is one of the best recruiters in the country, and the Vols staff really ran away with it the last few months. I've also learned from covering that area that it sometimes takes one to get the ball rolling and then you can go back and get players year after year.
So with Todd Kelly, an Army All-American at safety, and now a Top247 cornerback in the fold, the future of the secondary looks very bright. Payne isn't the tallest corner in the world, but he's very skilled and with the right development and work can be a very good player.
UT also is up to No. 6 in the 2014 team football recruiting rankings from 247Sports.