Daron Payne had an interesting choice to make last winter as a five-star defensive lineman at Birmingham's Shades Valley High School.
The 6-foot-2, 315-pound nose tackle could have gone numerous places and instantly been the most touted player at his position group, or he could have immersed himself among a sea of five stars at the University of Alabama. Payne opted for the latter, and he hasn't regretted his choice.
"It helps having this much competition, because everyone is good and everyone can make a play," Payne said. "Everybody wants the best for each other. We're like a family and can lean on each other and will help each other out when we need help.
"All of these guys are first-round (future NFL draft) picks."
Payne joined a Crimson Tide defensive front this summer that contained the five-star likes of A'Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen and Da'Shawn Hand. There was also Jarran Reed, who could be a top-10 pick in the 2016 NFL draft, and others who had earned significant playing time on a rotation that was eight or nine players deep.
As the Crimson Tide near Thursday night's Cotton Bowl against Michigan State, Payne is right there among them.
"He has made quite an impression," Allen told reporters last month. "He is very mature for his age and has a great understanding of the playbook. He is a physical specimen, and his strength is very rare.
"Looking at him, you would think he was a redshirt junior. You wouldn't think he was a freshman."
Payne has compiled 13 tackles, half a sack and a forced fumble for the Crimson Tide, who rank first nationally in run defense (allowing 74 yards per game), second in total defense (258.2), third in scoring defense (14.4) and fourth in pass-efficiency defense.
The most impressive stat for Payne, in light of Alabama's depth up front defensively, is that he already has three starts to his credit. After spending the first half of the season backing up junior Darren Lake, Payne earned starting assignments against the up-the-middle rushing attacks of Arkansas and LSU.
Payne also started the Tide's 29-15 win over Florida earlier this month in the Southeastern Conference championship game. Though he can look back with a smile, Payne admits that becoming a productive freshman wasn't always a smooth ride.
"At the beginning of camp, it was hard getting adjusted to the speed of things," Payne said. "Your heart would start beating fast at the beginning of practice, and it wouldn't stop for two hours. I got my first start after the Georgia game, and I felt good after that.
"I was excited. My family was excited for me, and I got to make a dream come true by starting as a freshman. This season has been lots of fun."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.