Daron Payne Sets Decision Date: Which Program Is Best Fit for 5-Star DT?

After an electric Iron Bowl last weekend, the next important battle between Alabama and Auburn will be the race to land 5-star defensive tackle Daron Payne.

According to Andrew Bone of Rivals, the state of Alabama’s top prospect in the 2015 cycle announced he will make his decision on Jan. 2 at the Under Armour All-America Game.

While schools such as Florida State and Mississippi State have tried to enter the picture with Payne, the Birmingham native has consistently gone on record stating that the Tide and the Tigers are his top two schools.

Complicating the matter for Payne is that he is choosing between a team he grew up rooting for versus the team that is undoubtedly college football’s biggest juggernaut on the recruiting trail. 

“I grew up an Auburn fan, so I’ve been wanting to play for them all of my life,” Payne told Bleacher Report earlier this year. “Then I got the Alabama offer, and then (it’s like) everybody wants to play for ‘Bama.” 

But which in-state power is the best fit for the 6’2”, 325-pounder?

Alabama

Payne was one of the many top recruits in Tuscaloosa for Alabama’s 55-44 win over Auburn last weekend.

With both schools battling it out for his signature, the latest installment of the Iron Bowl gave Payne a chance to view his favorites in action.

According to BamaOnLine’s Trevor Hewett (subscription required), he was impressed with what he saw from the Tide’s defensive line. Before the game, he also spent some time with Nick Saban—who reiterated his desire to land him is still strong.

“They were just telling me how happy they were to have me down there and how much they wanted me to come there,” Payne told Hewett. “Coach Saban told me how they can make me a better person and how they would use me and stuff like that.”

While the Tide’s depth chart is loaded, Payne has a skill set that resembles former Tide standout defensive linemen such as Josh Chapman, Marcell Dareus and Jesse Williams.

Additionally, Saban has proved that he wouldn’t hesitate to play freshmen if they are ready—with current nose tackle A’Shawn Robinson, who played extensively as a true freshman last season, being the best example of this.

Given that Tuscaloosa is less than an hour away from his home in Birmingham, Alabama, proximity is another plus in the Tide’s favor.

Auburn

While the Tide have a lot of positives with Payne, so too do Gus Malzahn and the Tigers.

As noted by Bryan Matthews of AuburnUndercover (subscription required), Payne called Auburn his “dream school” early in the process.

Perhaps more importantly than that, the biggest selling point for the Tigers is the fact that they can offer Payne early playing time—something that Malzahn was sure to remind him of on his visit last month, according to Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports (subscription required). 

“They’re still pitching to me that I can come in and play big, make a big impact,” Payne told Niebuhr.

According to Ourlads, three of Auburn’s top four defensive tackles are seniors—which sheds light on how big the need is for the Tigers at defensive tackle in the 2015 cycle.

The biggest negative for the Tigers is the fact that Malzahn fired defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson shortly after the Iron Bowl loss to the Tide, per Phillip Marshall of AuburnUndercover.

With the future of the defensive staff up in the air, Auburn’s new defensive coordinator will have little time to develop a relationship with one of the top remaining prospects on the board for the Tigers.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Pick

Both schools offer Payne unique opportunities to find success over the next four years.

Alabama has a tradition of sending defensive linemen to the NFL and a scheme that fits Payne’s strengths, while the Tigers have a need for defensive linemen to step in and play right away.

However, with Auburn’s uncertainty among the defensive coaching staff clouding the picture, Payne’s best option appears to be heading to Tuscaloosa to play for the Tide.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.