KANSAS CITY, Mo.
When he began playing football in grade school, Anthony Payne quickly discovered his favorite portion of practice. It was the Oklahoma drill, during which he and a teammate would line up a few yards apart, then run toward another and clash until one was tackled.
“I liked smacking people more than I liked getting smacked,” he said.
Thus, he navigated toward the defensive side of the football. For nearly a decade, he has made a home there, most recently on the Raymore-Peculiar (Mo.) High’s defensive line. His senior season begins in five days.