Florida State head coach Mike Norvell talks regularly about wanting his players to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves.

It’s fair to say that no Seminole may have done a better job of that this season than redshirt freshman defensive end Patrick Payton.

Payton stepped into a larger role when Jared Verse went down with a leg injury in FSU’s win at Louisville. He performed well enough in the role that he maintained playing time even after Verse returned to the starting lineup.

Payton was consistently impactful in a reserve role, leading all ACC freshmen in sacks this season. He was recognized for that effort Wednesday when he was named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.

“I don’t know if it was really a surprise, but I would say I was working, playing as hard as I can and making as many plays as I can,” Payton said after winning the award. “(FSU defensive ends coach John Papuchis) told me that in the middle of the season he was thinking about it, but he didn’t want to tell me. He didn’t want to make me get off track and start thinking about that. He told me to keep working. I was not really thinking about it. I was just playing football.”

FSU’s coaches have talked throughout this season about how Payton maximized his redshirt during the 2021 season. Although he appeared in just one game, he made the most of his developmental year physically and mentally.

Physically, Payton bulked up significantly. After he was listed at 215 pounds when FSU announced his signing, Payton entered the 2022 season at 248 pounds.

Mentally, FSU coaches talked at length about how Payton approached each meeting and practice last season as if he was going to play despite the fact that he was not in or especially close to the rotation.

"Super proud for Pat. He has invested a lot of effort, energy, blood, sweat into his growth and development here over the last couple of years,” Papuchis said. “One of the things that I have been as proud about him as anything is not just his physical growth and maturity, but his emotional growth and maturity. He has always been a guy who cares a lot. And as a young guy who manifests in different ways, this year that was able to manifest with great passion on the field, a great work ethic. You like to see guys who work hard, to see their hard work rewarded.”

Simply seeing that Payton led all ACC freshmen in sacks doesn’t speak to the totality of his impact this season for the Seminoles. With his lanky frame, Payton also had three pass breakups at the line of scrimmage, a forced fumble, 29 total tackles and five tackles for loss, second only to teammate Joshua Farmer among ACC freshmen.

For as much credit as FSU’s staff has received for their work in the transfer portal to rejuvenate the roster, Payton is one of a few examples they are happy to point towards of a high-school signee developing under their tutelage.

“It speaks to what we are trying to build here,” Papuchis said. “Whatever the narrative sometimes can be in terms of the transfer guys coming in and having great success, well, now here’s a high school kid that was recruited here and developed here, and he is having success.”

Even though FSU’s season isn’t complete yet, with a bowl game set to be played later this month, Payton is already focusing on 2023.

After his breakout season, he’ll have a chance to compete for a starting spot as a redshirt sophomore in his first draft-eligible season. Before that, another offseason where he believes he can further transform his body.

“Me and (FSU director of strength and conditioning Josh) Storms already had this conversation. No time off. I am gonna get right into it. Just get ready, work as hard as I can, get as big as I can, get as strong as I can, come out next year and try to have an even better year…” Payton said. “Just being consistent every day with it, eating more and lifting more. I have more time now that the season is over to focus on just that. I will put on a good amount of weight…Not like a target (weight), but as big as I can and make sure I stay at the same speed. Balance it out…It is a little tricky, but I believe in coach Storms.”

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