LAKE FOREST, Ill. –  At this rate, the Bears will have all of their rookies locked up by Memorial Day.

One day after third-round pick Garrett Wolfe became the first 2007 NFL draft choice to sign a contract, Chicago inked fifth-round selection Kevin Payne to a four-year deal Wednesday.

Bears rookie strong safety Kevin Payne signs his name on the dotted line Wednesday at Halas Hall.

“It’s an honor,” said Payne, a hard-hitting strong safety from Louisiana-Monroe, the same school that produced fellow Bears safety Chris Harris. “I’m just happy that we could get it over with so I won’t have to worry about it and I can just concentrate on football right now.”

Payne signed his name on the dotted line Wednesday in a Halas Hall conference room named in honor of legendary Bears Hall of Famer Red Grange.

“It felt good,” Payne said. “It’s a dream come true. It’s something that every collegiate athlete wishes for, so it’s just a privilege to be able to do that.”

Payne, a converted college running back, worked with Bears veterans for the first time Tuesday and Wednesday and is eager to participate in this weekend’s full squad minicamp.

“I’m just going out there to try to learn as much as possible,” he said, “and showcase my talent and let the coaches and the staff know that they made a good decision and that I will be able to help this team out a lot this coming fall.”

Payne hopes to build off of his performance in the Bears’ rookie minicamp May 4-6 when he impressed coaches with his playmaking ability and ball skills.

“Kevin is a good football player,” coach Lovie Smith said at the time. “Being a running back (his first two years in college), we knew he had great hands and he had good ability. But it was good to see him make some plays.”

In 2003, Payne was named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year after rushing for 976 yards and 6 touchdowns and catching 41 passes for 488 yards and 3 TDs. He switched to safety in 2005 in part to replace Harris, who was selected by the Bears in the sixth round of the draft.

Last season as a senior, Payne registered 98 tackles, four interceptions and one forced fumble. He also handled punting duties, averaging 40.6 yards on 45 punts with a long of 63 yards.

Payne appealed to the Bears in the draft because the 6-foot, 220-pounder is a physical run defender at the point of attack who also possesses the athleticism to play safety in the cover-two defense.

“We felt he gave us a little of both,” said defensive backs coach Steven Wilks. “He’s a guy who can go down in the box and be tough and physical [and] he has that range that you like.”