Payne Daniel is a safety for Vanderbilt from Nashville, Tennessee, where he attended Montgomery Bell Academy. He played both football and lacrosse in high school, earning all-region honors in football and all-state recognition in lacrosse while leading his team to two state championships in that sport. Daniel made his collegiate debut at Tennessee as a freshman in 2023. As a junior in 2025, he appeared in two games and recorded one tackle against Georgia State. The 5'11", 185-pound senior is a returning member of the Commodores roster.