William Payne Durham (born June 15, 2000) is an American professional football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Purdue.

Payne Durham
refer to caption
Durham with Purdue in 2019
No. 87 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (2000-06-15) June 15, 2000 (age 24)
Suwanee, Georgia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:253 lb (115 kg)
Career information
High school:Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Georgia)
College:Purdue (2018–2022)
NFL draft:2023 / round: 5 / pick: 171
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 3, 2024
Receptions:6
Receiving yards:66
Receiving touchdowns:0
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early years

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Durham attended Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee, Georgia.[1] He played lacrosse in high school and did not start playing football until his senior year.[2] In his lone season, he had 22 receptions for 330 yards and five touchdowns. He committed to Purdue University to play college football.[3][4]

College career

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Durham played in two games his first year at Purdue in 2018. In 2019, he started four of 12 games and had nine receptions for 82 yards and four touchdowns. He started all six games in 2020, recording 16 receptions for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Durham started 10 of 12 games in 2021, finishing with 467 yards on 45 receptions and six touchdowns. He returned to Purdue as the starter in 2022.[5][6][7]

Durham played in the 2022 Senior Bowl.

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 5+58 in
(1.97 m)
253 lb
(115 kg)
33+38 in
(0.85 m)
9+34 in
(0.25 m)
4.87 s 1.61 s 2.79 s 4.51 s 7.15 s 34.5 in
(0.88 m)
9 ft 9 in
(2.97 m)
14 reps
Sources:[8][9]

Durham was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round, 171st overall, of the 2023 NFL draft.[10] He appeared in 13 games and started two as a rookie in the 2023 season. He finished with five receptions for 58 yards.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Hammock, Will (October 25, 2020). "Payne Durham, Tyler Goodson fare well in Purdue-Iowa clash". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  2. ^ Carmin, Mike (March 26, 2019). "Purdue tight end Payne Durham making strides while learning football". Journal and Courier. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  3. ^ Knight, Joey (May 12, 2023). "Here's how a 3-point basket led Bucs tight end Payne Durham to the NFL". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  4. ^ Carmin, Mike (December 16, 2017). "Two Georgia standouts commit to Purdue football". Journal and Courier. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  5. ^ Carmin, Mike (September 30, 2022). "Penalty at Minnesota in 2020 sticks with Purdue's Payne Durham: 'I haven't really let it go'". Journal and Courier. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  6. ^ Johnson, Jeff (November 3, 2022). "Payne Durham becomes bull of a tight end for Purdue". The Gazette. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  7. ^ Fezler, D. J. (November 18, 2022). "Purdue's Payne Durham Looks to Leave Behind Legacy That Goes Beyond Play on the Field". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  8. ^ "Payne Durham Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  9. ^ "2023 NFL Draft Scout Payne Durham College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  10. ^ Smith, Scott (April 29, 2023). "Bucs Swing Second Trade of 2023 to Secure TE Payne Durham". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  11. ^ "Payne Durham 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
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