Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

IN 2023
- First Team All-UAC
- FCS Football Central All-UAC First Team
- Phil Steele First Team All-UAC
EKU posted the top offense in the UAC with 437.4 yards per game, 4,811 yards of total offense, and 37 touchdowns.

IN 2022
Phil Steele/DraftScout Fourth-Team All-American ... Phil Steele ASUN Offensive Lineman of the Year ... All-ASUN selection ... ASUN All-Academic selection ... started all 12 games at left tackle ... part of offensive line that helped EKU rank third nationally in passing offense per game (329.7), fifth in third-down conversion percentage (.519), 10th in total offense per game (451.3), 11th in scoring offense (36.2), and 18th in red zone offense (.879) ... helped EKU tally its highest point total in program history.

IN 2021
HERO Sports Freshman All-American ... Phil Steele Second-Team Freshman All-American ... Phil Steele Second-Team All-ASUN ... ASUN All-Conference selection ... Started all 11 games at left tackle ... helped EKU rank fourth in the nation in red-zone scoring (93.9 percent) ... part of a unit that ranked 19th nationally in sacks allowed per game (1.27 sacks per game) ... helped the Colonels accumulate 400 yards of offense in five of the final seven games of the season. 

AS A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN IN 2020
Played in all nine games … started nine times at left tackle … helped EKU conclude the fall third in the nation in passing offense (247.4 yards per game) and fourth in the country in total offense (376.4 yards per game) … started on the offensive line when the Colonels ran up a season-high 590 yards of offense against Western Carolina in the 2020 Opportunity Bowl … part of an offensive unit that totaled 400 yards or more of offense in six of the final seven games of the season.

AS A FRESHMAN IN 2019
Redshirt season … played in one game, the season finale at Jacksonville State (Nov. 23).

HIGH SCHOOL
First team all-state as a senior … first team all-district, first team All-CCL and first team all-metro his senior season … earned first team All-CCL and second team all-district as a junior … averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds while earning first team All-CCL and second team all-district as a member of the Hawks’ basketball team.
 
PERSONAL
Full name is Payton C. Collins … son of Mark and Amy Collins … has one brother – Conor, and one sister -- Sydney ... Graduated Spring of '23 with a Bachelors in General Business, working on his MBA.