The 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior quarterback passed for 1,704 yards and 22 touchdowns this past season, leading the Warriors (12-0) to the Class A state championship. Payton completed 113 of 183 passes and threw just five interceptions, while also rushing for 1,029 yards and 17 touchdowns on 124 carries. He was selected as co-captain of both the Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska team and the Lincoln Journal Star Super-State team.
Payton has maintained a 3.75 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to play football on scholarship at North Dakota State University this fall.
Payton has volunteered locally on behalf of a food pantry and youth sports programs.