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2021 NFL Draft: New York Jets 7-round mock

By Mike Phillips

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 25: Denzel Mims #11 of the New York Jets runs with the ball during a game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium on October 25, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 25: Denzel Mims #11 of the New York Jets runs with the ball during a game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium on October 25, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images) /
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COLLEGE PARK, MD – NOVEMBER 02: Kwity Paye #19 of the Michigan Wolverines in action on defense during a game against the Maryland Terrapins at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium on November 2, 2019 in College Park, Maryland. Michigan defeated Maryland 38-7. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD – NOVEMBER 02: Kwity Paye #19 of the Michigan Wolverines in action on defense during a game against the Maryland Terrapins at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium on November 2, 2019 in College Park, Maryland. Michigan defeated Maryland 38-7. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

No. 34-DE Kwity Paye, Michigan

One of the most glaring needs that the Jets have on defense is at the edge rusher spot. New York has been trying to find a pure pass rusher since trading John Abraham to Atlanta back in 2005, cycling through veterans like Calvin Pace, Jason Taylor, and Aaron Maybin in the hopes of securing some production.

There have also been notable whiffs in the draft as the Jets have spent both high picks (Vernon Gholston, Quinton Coples) and mid-rounders (Lorenzo Mauldin) on that spot with one epic bust in Jachai Polite, who couldn’t make the team out of camp as a third-rounder in 2019. The Jets will look to fill that void here with Paye, an emerging pass-rushing threat out of Michigan.

Paye has elite athletic traits that will appeal to Douglas and is versatile enough to either start on the defensive line in a 4-3 system or at outside linebacker in a 3-4. New York will likely pursue an edge rusher in free agency as well, allowing Paye to start off as a rotational player before fulfilling a bigger role on the defense.

Another area where Paye can help immediately is as a run defender, where he already flashes the ability to set the edge. That could allow the Jets to have an in-house replacement for Jordan Jenkins, who is set to test free agency again.

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