PHILADELPHIA - Former Northwest receiver JaVonta Payton is getting a second chance in the National Football League.

In a Friday evening announcement made via social media from the XFL, Payton has been invited to participate in training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles. This comes roughly a year after Payton spent training camp with another NFL team, the Arizona Cardinals.

A native of Hillsboro, Tenn., Payton played at Northwest from 2017-18, catching 67 passes for 840 yards and 11 touchdowns, helping the Rangers to back-to-back conference playoff appearances and the 2017 Graphic Edge Bowl. He later went on to Mississippi State from 2019-20, before transferring to Tennessee to conclude his college career.

While with the Vols, Payton caught 18 passes for 413 yards and six touchdowns to help the Vols to a 7-6 record. One of his most notable touchdowns came in a road win against Kentucky, where he took a 75-yard pass into the end zone on the first play from scrimmage. He went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft, but signed a free agent deal with the Cardinals, where he was cut despite a promising preseason.

This past spring, Payton found success in the XFL, helping the Arlington Renegades to the XFL Championship in May. He caught 11 passes for 164 yards in the regular season, averaging 14.9 yards per catch. In the postseason, Payton caught seven passes for a pair of touchdowns and 142 yards, the second-most among XFL receivers.

Payton is one of six former Rangers to suit up for Philadelphia, both in preseason training camp or during the regular season. Other notable Northwest alumni to join the Eagles include CFL Hall of Famer Henry "Gizmo" Williams (1989), quarterback Gardner Minshew II (2022-23), offensive lineman Donald Hawkins (2014), tailback Eldra Buckley (2009-10) and kicker Lonny Calicchio (1997). 

Training camp begins this Tuesday at the Eagles' NovaCare Complex. The first preseason game is scheduled for Saturday, August 12 at 6 P.M. Central against the Baltimore Ravens. The game is currently slated to be carried on NFL Network.