Payton Pierce

Ohio State Overview • Payton is a true sophomore who has three seasons of eligibility • He earned his first Varsity O letter in 2024, playing in 14 games for a total of 149 snaps • Most of his playing time was on special teams, but he did play on defense in five games and he did record four tackles • Is majoring in communication and is an OSU Scholar-Athlete Honors & Awards 2024: OSU Scholar-Athlete More on Payton • Payton was part of the 2024 Ohio State recruiting class • He enrolled in classes in January and continued his rehabilitation on a high school injury • Payton was a four-star prospect and a national top-200 rated player in the 2024 class. • A finalist for the High School Butkus Award, which goes to the nation’s top prep linebacker • In 14 games as a senior, finished with 181 tackles, 40.0 tackles-for-loss and eight sacks • Added four forced fumbles and two blocked kicks • Named the District 7 5A Most Valuable Player • Earned Dallas Morning News’ Defensive Player of the Week honors after a 22-tackle performance that included 4.5 tackles-for-loss in a playoff win over the top-ranked team in the state • Was just as productive as a junior, collecting 131 tackles, 21.0 tackles-for-loss, six sacks and five forced fumbles • Selected to play in the 2024 All-American Bowl on Jan. 4 in San Antonio • Parents are Jamie and Geno Pierce