Michigan football: Potential landing spots for Kwity Paye in 2021 NFL Draft
By John Buhler
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Miami Dolphins. player. 59. AFC East. (No. 18 or No. 3). 2
He could take his talents to South Beach as either first-round pick
The Miami Dolphins need to make the playoffs this year. It does not matter if Tua Tagovailoa is only in his second year out of Alabama, it is time. The good news for the Dolphins is they have plenty of picks to get better with during the 2021 NFL Draft, including a pair inside of the top 20: The Houston Texans’ at No. 3 and their own at No. 18. Either pick could be used to draft Paye.
As with the Atlanta Falcons, it would be a gross reach for the Dolphins to use the No. 3 overall pick on Paye. However, they are not expected to go with a quarterback at No. 3. This is a piece they could gain even more picks with in a trade back. Plus, this pick does come by way of the Texans’ incompetence. So if they want to use the No. 3 pick on Paye, it only makes the Texans look worse.
Ultimately, the Dolphins would be better served to use their own pick at No. 18 to draft Paye. Unfortunately, that is about as far as he is going to drop in the first round. Expect him to come off the board in the teens this spring. So while Paye projects to fall somewhere in between where the Dolphins are picking, they may need to maneuver around a bit to be in the best position to get him.
Pick Analysis. 1. player. Scouting Report. (No. 14). Minnesota Vikings. 60. NFC North
Mike Zimmer loves acquiring elite defensive talent
The Minnesota Vikings are in a precarious spot. They can choose to win-now with Kirk Cousins as their quarterback or potentially look to reboot their franchise for the hopes of a better tomorrow. Since they still have Dalvin Cook in the midst of his prime and two great receivers in Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, pushing for the NFC playoffs seems like the right way to go for them.
If left to his own devices, head coach Mike Zimmer would love to draft a defensive playmaker like Paye at No. 14 in the 2021 NFL Draft. Minnesota would be picking in the right range to get him without having to trade up or move back. Plus, he could come in and make a difference right away for them in the trenches. This is how the Vikings can go about slowing down Aaron Rodgers.
Minnesota should opt for the best player available at No. 14, which could very well be Paye. If the Dallas Cowboys do not take him at No. 10, the Vikings could be the most logical team he ends up landing with. Of course, we should expect some shuffling in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. However, Minnesota has to be the early frontrunner to take the Michigan product this spring.
Overall, Paye has a wide variance in the upcoming draft. He could go in the top 10 potentially, but he is projected to go somewhere in the teens. Because you can never have enough defensive line talent, he will be a hot commodity in the draft. For that reason, there will be more than just these five teams looking to acquire him. The best part is he can be an impact player right away for them.
What NFL teams should try to draft Paye out of Michigan in the first half of the first round?
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