Payton Turner
American football player (born 1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Payton Turner (born January 7, 1999) is an American professional football defensive end for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Houston Cougars and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
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Houston, Texas, U.S.
Turner with the New Orleans Saints in 2021 | |||||||||||||
| No. 92 – Detroit Lions | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Defensive end | ||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | January 7, 1999 Houston, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 275 lb (125 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Westside (Houston) | ||||||||||||
| College | Houston (2017–2020) | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2021: 1st round, 28th overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||||||
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Early life
Turner grew up in Houston, Texas and attended Westside High School, where he played basketball and football.[1]
College career
Turner was a member of the Houston Cougars for four seasons, starting his final three years.[2] He was a member of the Cougars' pass rush rotation during his freshman year and finished the season with 14 tackles, one sack and one interception.[3] His sophomore season ended prematurely due to a foot injury.[4] As a senior, Turner was named second team All-American Athletic Conference after recording 25 tackles, 10.5 for a loss, with five sacks in five games played, missing two games due to injury and opting out of the New Mexico Bowl.[5][6] After the season, Turner played in the 2021 Senior Bowl.[7]
Statistics
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Bench press | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 5+3⁄8 in (1.97 m) | 270 lb (122 kg) | 35 in (0.89 m) | 10+1⁄4 in (0.26 m) | 7 ft 0+1⁄8 in (2.14 m) | 4.31 s | 7.01 s | 35.5 in (0.90 m) | 23 reps | ||||
| All values from Pro Day[8][9][10][11] | ||||||||||||
New Orleans Saints
Turner was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round (28th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft.[12] He signed his four-year rookie contract with New Orleans on June 8, 2021.[13] On November 11, 2021, Turner was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.[14]
On September 13, 2023, Turner was placed on injured reserve after suffering from a turf toe injury in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans.[15] He was activated on January 5, 2024.[16]
On May 2, 2024, the Saints declined to exercise the fifth-year option in Turner’s rookie contract, making him a free agent after the 2024 season.[17]
Dallas Cowboys
On March 11, 2025, Turner signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys.[18] He was placed on injured reserve due to a rib injury on August 26.[19]
Detroit Lions
On March 20, 2026, Turner signed a one-year, $1.145 million contract with the Detroit Lions.[20]