Sam Jackson V, an Auburn wide receiver, has witnessed Payton Thorne at his most relaxed, which wasn’t last year.
“You saw Payton last year, and that wasn’t Payton,” Jackson said to media on Tuesday.
This offseason, Jackson, a transfer from Cal, saw Thorne establish himself as Naperville Central High School’s career leader in completions, throwing yards, and touchdowns. Jackson received a lot of those passes as Thorne’s teammate in high school.
Jackson hasn’t witnessed Thorne perform at his peak since the 2021 campaign, when he was still a Michigan State student. Thorne had over 3,200 throwing yards and 27 touchdowns on 60% passing that season.
Jackson remarked, “You go back to 2021 and that’s how Payton is playing right now.”
Reporters questioned Thorne, who was representing Auburn at SEC Media Days, on if he expected to have an even better year overall.
To a reporter, Thorne said, “No question,” before clarifying that he hadn’t had a spring camp and found it challenging to jump right into fall practice.
Rivaldo Fairweather, an Auburn tight end who had transferred before the previous season, can verify that Thorne appeared considerably more at ease coming into his second season on The Plains.
“Payton seems very at ease in that position,” Fairweather remarked on Tuesday. “Payton is aware of everything that occurs. He feels more at ease and knows the appropriate checks and reads to make when he is aware of what is happening.
For the first few days of Auburn’s fall camp, Thorne making the right reads appears to be a recurring theme.
Damari Alston, the running back for Auburn, brought it up on Tuesday.
Alston praised the author’s “crazy” reading and progressing style.
Thorne, a football coach’s son, has long been thought to have a high football IQ.
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