Purdue tight end Payne Durham's picked by Bucs in NFL Draft

Purdue tight end Payne Durham was selected in the fifth round (No. 171 overall) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2023 NFL Draft. Tampa Bay's tight ends are Dominique Dafney, Ko Kieft, Cade Otton and David Wells.

Here's what you should know about Durham.

Payne Durham at Purdue

His production increased each of his four seasons with the Boilermakers, capping his career with 56 catches for 560 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2022. He had 126 career catches for 1,275 yards and 21 TDs. Durham twice had 9 catches in a game (Wisconsin, 2021; Syracuse, 2022).

Payne Durham 40 time

He ran a 4.87-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Payne Durham NFL Draft projection

From NFL.com: "Durham possesses the measurables of a Y tight end, with the ability to compete as a blocker both in-line and on the move. He still needs to add play strength as a run blocker, though. Durham lacks the speed to threaten the seam and the functional agility to beat coverage underneath. He’s been fairly involved in the Purdue passing game and has a chance to make a team as a run-blocking tight end with the potential to make tough catches."

The Draft Network ranks him 7th among tight ends: "Durham is a tough and competitive overall blocker. He puts in work as a stationery run blocker from being aligned in-line and on the move on the perimeter in the screen game. He fits his hands, uses his strength, and runs his feet to displace defenders. Durham is used on split-flow run calls as well, working back across the formation to the backside defensive end. I love his willingness to lead on wham power concepts between the tackles. In the passing game, he works the seams and the middle of the field well. Durham presents a big target that locates and settles into the soft spots of zone coverages.

"Durham is not a fluid or agile mover in space. He is a labored mover, especially trying to break at the top of his routes. His flexibility comes into question — he does not show the capability to sink/drop his hips on routes. Durham is a limited athlete in terms of speed and explosiveness. As a result, he is not a good man-to-man separator. Due to the lack of elusiveness, he has average run-after-catch talent."

Payne Durham is similar to Jack Doyle

Doyle is a Cathedral High School graduate who came to the Colts as an unheralded free agent but played nine seasons, twice making the Pro Bowl. He had 295 career catches for 24 touchdowns.

“(Purdue's coaches) made that comparison pretty early,” Durham said. “(Doyle’s) such a technician. He used his body so well. I just tried to mold after that.”

A lacrosse star for most of his high school career at Peachtree Ridge in Georgia, Durham discovered football almost by accident. When he was a senior in high school, Peachtree Ridge hired a new head football coach, Reggie Stancil, who had to make a hard sell to get Durham onto the football field.

Payne Durham on his NFL prospects

More: Durham 'old school' tight end awaiting call

"There's definitely different types of tight ends nowadays," Durham said. "You have your sexy Travis Kelces and then you've got people that are more blockers and people that can kind of do both. I think I fit in somewhere in that mold. Hopefully teams can see that."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Payne Durham draft: Purdue tight end goes to Buccaneers in NFL Draft