On Thursday, WolverinesWire asked fellow 2021 class member Rayshaun Benny — who has been in Ann Arbor the whole time — in a general sense his excitement for Payne’s commitment to the maize and blue (Payne hasn’t officially signed yet) as well as the importance of getting or bringing local talent back into the fold.

Alabama defensive tackle transfer Damon Payne Jr. committed to Michigan Wednesday night. The program officially announced him as an addition and new member of the Wolverines Friday afternoon, with Payne signing with his new school.

It was a crazy day in terms of transfer portal recruiting for Michigan football. The Wolverines had appeared to have gotten a commitment and a signing from former Belleville (Mich.) five-star defensive tackle Damon Payne — who has been at Alabama since 2021 — but that’s when things went haywire.