Former Nansemond River High School standout Pheldarius Payne has committed to North Carolina State University.

Payne, a 2018 graduate of Nansemond River, was recently at Lackawanna Junior College, where he went after his last year at Nansemond River. After a strong year, he started garnering interest from big-time schools. He announced his commitment on Tuesday afternoon.

“It felt like home to me,” Payne said. “It’s also close to home and just seeing the history of the program was something I wanted to be a part of.”

Throughout the summer, Payne had been taking visits to schools around the country. He took visits to NC State, Penn State, LSU, Syracuse and Liberty. He received an offer from NC State at the beginning of July and, after taking a visit and going over his options with his family, he felt committing to the Wolfpack would be best for him.

“The season is starting soon, and I want to be locked in,” Payne said. “I felt like everything fell into place. My family loves the school, and they love the fact that it’s close, as well. I’ve also been getting close with the players and coaches.”

NC State has plans to play Payne along the defensive line. Last season, the Wolfpack finished with a 9-4 record and at one point was ranked in the top 25 in the country. Over the last three years, NC State has had 14 players drafted to the NFL.

At Lackawanna last season, Payne helped his team to an undefeated record. In 11 appearances, he notched 23 tackles and five sacks in a reserve role. In a bigger role, he is excited for the coming year and the chance to build on what he had shown during the 2018 season.

While at Nansemond River, Payne helped the Warriors reach the state semifinals as a senior. He was also an All-District and All-Region defensive lineman. He has plans to return to Nansemond River to make his signing official in December. It is something he always dreamed about doing.

“Without Nansemond River, I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” he said. “I can show the kids there that you can be from Suffolk and do what other kids are doing out here.”