Player Career

Payton Zdroik Career Story

Career story, signature performances, transfer context, and season arc are grouped for biography-style searches.

Player Story

Payton Zdroik story

Payton Zdroik built his college career from 2022 through 2025 as a defensive lineman from Brentwood, CA wearing No. 96, spending time with Air Force. The clearest part of Payton Zdroik's career was his defensive production: 113 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and 1 pass defended across 43 career games in the available record. His largest box-score season came in 2022 with Air Force. Those numbers show where he fit, how often the ball or action found him, and how his role developed over time.

Defensive careers can be hard to read from one number, but Payton Zdroik's production has multiple signals. With 43 career games in the available record, his career has enough shape to show both opportunity and production across Air Force.

The arc is straightforward: Payton Zdroik moved through the depth chart, found a larger role, and turned that opportunity into production that can be understood through standard football numbers.

Career Arc

Track team changes, role shifts, and season-to-season movement.

  1. 1

    Air Force

    2022-2025

    Opening stop

Season Value Progression

202220222023202320242025
SeasonTeamPrimaryEfficiencyUsageDelta
2022 PostseasonAir Force17.522.110.8
2022 Regular SeasonAir Force17.522.110.80
2023 PostseasonAir Force1329.39-4.5
2023 Regular SeasonAir Force1329.390
2024 Regular SeasonAir Force12.522.210.5-0.5
2025 Regular SeasonAir Force1726.716.54.5

Signature Performances

Top Games

#1 Featured game

vs Colorado State

Week 12 · W 24-12 · Conference game

Win with backfield disruption leading the way.

5

Havoc Plays

87.5 takeover

5 disruption/tackle impact with 87.5 takeover score.

#2

@ No. 118 San José State

Week 11 · W 26-16 · Conference game

4

Havoc Plays

84.2 takeover

Win with 4 impact plays across the defensive snap sheet.

4 disruption/tackle impact with 84.2 takeover score.

#3

vs James Madison

Week 1 · W 31-21 · Postseason

4

Havoc Plays

82.8 takeover

Win with 4 impact plays across the defensive snap sheet.

4 disruption/tackle impact with 82.8 takeover score.

#4

vs San José State

Week 2 · L 7-17 · Conference game

4

Havoc Plays

82.8 takeover

Loss with 4 impact plays across the defensive snap sheet.

4 disruption/tackle impact with 82.8 takeover score.

#5

vs Wyoming

Week 7 · W 34-27 · Conference game

3.5

Havoc Plays

79.7 takeover

Win with 3.5 impact plays across the defensive snap sheet.

3.5 disruption/tackle impact with 79.7 takeover score.

Top Seasons

#1 Season by Season Value

2025 Regular Season · Air Force

17 primary output · 26.7 efficiency · 16.5 usage

66.6

#2

2022 Postseason · Air Force

62.4

17.5 primary · 22.1 efficiency · 10.8 usage

#3

2022 Regular Season · Air Force

62.4

17.5 primary · 22.1 efficiency · 10.8 usage

Milestones

12

Impact games

17

Splash games

0

10+ tackle games