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NO PAYNE, NO GAIN: Elkins Payne is elite baseball talent
SUPERSTITION AND PREGAME RITUALS ARE FAR FROM UNCOMMON IN SPORTS.
Everyone needs that little “extra” to get their minds ready to compete, and Elkins’ senior Braylon Payne is no exception.“I have these stuffed animals – 10 of them to be exact,” he laughed.
“I clip them onto the net before each game for good luck, and I touch them before I go up to bat. The one I started off with was a lion, and after that I can’t tell you since there are so many. It might be a little out of the ordinary, but hey, it’s helped me to get this far.”
As one of the most prolific players in Texas, the Fort Bend Elkins outfielder has become an animal on the field in his own right. His blazing speed, versatile athleticism and exceptional understanding of the five tools has made him a hot commodity in the world of high school recruiting.
While Payne has been pursued by college programs around the country, he won’t have to travel too far next season.
“The University of Houston has always been my dream school to go to, ever since I was a little kid,” said Payne. “I’ve been there so many times and I love the environment. It just made sense to me when I was given the chance to play there.”
The opportunities don’t just end there for the six-foot-one, left-handed hitter.According to Perfect Game, Payne is listed as a 10-grade athlete, which indicates that he is expected to be a high draft pick in the upcoming MLB Draft this July.
Despite the possibility of going professional, Payne maintains an unwavering attention to his game.
“I’m just going to let it pan out,” he said. “If I work hard like I’ve been doing my whole life, then everything will go the way I hope it will. At this moment, all I can do is focus on getting better, day by day, and the rest is out of my hands.”
Payne enters his final season with the Knights, which experienced a somewhat down year in 2023. Regardless, he hasn’t shied away from his role as a leader for the program and what they’re capable of in the ensuing campaign.
“I definitely love the leadership opportunity I’ve been given at Elkins,” Payne said. “A lot of people follow in my footsteps, asking questions, and if they need anything, they come up to me. It feels great to be looked up to, and I don’t take it lightly. I’m just glad that I can be there for my teammates.
“I know it’s probably going to be difficult once our last game comes around. It hasn’t quite set in yet that this is likely the last time I’ll be playing with the guys I’ve grown up with. I have a feeling it’ll be emotional. Until then, we’re going to give it our all this season.”
Elkins competes in a brutal district. However, with a likely future pro like Payne on the field, the Knights have the potential to shock opponents in 2024.
REST IN PEACE: Elkins' Hayden left a lasting legacy
I knew DJ Hayden.
He was a teenager trying to make a name for himself on the recruiting landscape coming out of Elkins High School back in 2008-2009.
He was selling hard, but really wasn’t getting any Division I takers. We would talk about potential schools who were in contact, but nothing was concrete. PJ Wilson was his confidant and hype-man, but honestly DJ was somewhat of an unknown. He would go to camps and visits and… nothing concrete.
But DJ Hayden had this unbelievable belief in himself. And that was his legacy.
He signed with Navarro Junior College. If you have ever signed or played at a junior college, you know the juco life… it’s not glamorous and it is tough to get out. He did.
Hayden was laser-focused with a desire burning inside to get to the DI level. Like, burning. He won a Junior College National Championship in 2010 and played himself into a scholarship to the University of Houston.
Back home, he went off and thrived on the big DI stage. He started as a junior as a lockdown corner. Speed was his calling card.
As a senior, he would have another huge obstacle to overcome. In a freak accident during practice, he would collide with a teammate who inadvertently caught him with a knee to his chest. Hayden would nearly die as his inferior vana cava was torn in his heart. He was touch-and-go but would survive. His season was over.
Was his career over?
Again, we are talking about DJ Hayden.
He couldn’t really participate in the NFL Combine due to his injury, but was still considered the No. 1 cornerback in the 2013 Draft. He was selected No. 12 overall by the Oakland Raiders and played 92 games over nine years. He had 41 starts and four interceptions and 382 tackles.
He lived out his dream and was passing on his tale as the defensive backs coach for the Second Baptist School.
DJ lost his life much too early, but when I heard the news of his death in a tragic car accident, I had to reflect on the man that was counted out as a college prospect coming out of high school.
He was always going to beat the odds, because he didn’t see them as odds. DJ Hayden had a goal and pursued that goal with unwavering passion. He never had anything given to him. He overcame massive obstacles, physically and mentally.
He WORKED for what he wanted and didn’t take anything for granted. He was not going to relent.
Athletes across the country and especially in his hometown need to know DJ Hayden’s story.
He bet on himself and won.
Rest In Peace.