Michigan football star Kwity Paye will come off the board early in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Michigan football program should have two players going in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. One of those former Wolverines standouts is defensive lineman Kwity Paye.
Paye was a two-time All-Big Ten performer. The 6-foot-4 and 272-pound defensive lineman from Rhode Island by way of Guinea registered 97 total tackles, 23.5 for a loss of yardage and 11.5 sacks during his four-year run in Ann Arbor. Paye projects as a mid-first-round pick this spring but could go inside of the top 10 if the right team is willing to take a chance on him. Where will he go?
Where will Kwity Paye fall in the 2021 NFL Draft?
A reach at No. 4, but a solid piece to add in a potential trade back
The Atlanta Falcons had a terrible season last year. They fired former head coach Dan Quinn after five abysmal performances. While interim head coach Raheem Morris filled in admirably, Atlanta opted to go in a totally different direction at head coach and in the front office. They hired Arthur Smith to be their next head coach, who was able to bring Dean Pees out of retirement. This is big.
The former Tennessee Titans coaches, along with new general manager Terry Fontenot, will figure out what is best for the Dirty Birds to do at No. 4. Some pundits want the Falcons to take a quarterback, which is silly, because Matt Ryan is still playing at a high level. With that in mind, Atlanta will look to get better in the trenches inside the top 10 or find a defensive playmaker.
Admittedly, going with Paye at No. 4 would be a gross reach for the Falcons. However, Atlanta is a trade-back candidate in the 2021 NFL Draft. If they were to move down to No. 8 in a deal with the division rival Carolina Panthers, taking Paye and pairing him with Grady Jarrett along the defensive line is something we could all get behind, as well as the other compensation coming Atlanta’s way.
Maybe the third time’s the charm for Dan Quinn along the defensive line?
Simply put, the Dallas Cowboys need to become more dynamic defensively if they want to have any shot of contending in the NFC East. After a year of Mike Nolan’s outdated scheme not working out, Dallas has hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn to coordinate that side of the football. He runs a Cover 3 base like his mentor Pete Carroll does with the Seattle Seahawks.
What killed Quinn in Atlanta was he and former general manager Thomas Dimitroff whiffing on nearly all the defensive linemen they brought in. First-round picks Vic Beasley and Takkarist McKinley washed out, as the Pittsburgh Steelers made better picks with Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt in those drafts. Quinn also went with his former Florida guy Dante Fowler Jr. over Leonard Floyd.
With Paye, he is not going to bust like former Michigan standout Taco Charlton did in Dallas. He could be a key piece to helping this entitled Cowboys defense get back to playing some serious ball. No. 10 feels like a decent spot for the Cowboys to pick him. If he can be a menace in the trenches like he was in the Big Ten the last two years, Dallas may not be rebuilding after all.
Silver and Black strike gold with an improved defensive front
We have to believe the Las Vegas Raiders are close to getting back into the playoffs. There were moments in the last two years where the Silver and Black gave off the vibes of a playoff team. However, they faded down the stretch to watch January football at home like the rest of us. One area this team needs to improve on is in its defensive front-seven. Paye could help them out here.
Las Vegas has two strong pass rushers in Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell. While we have seen general manager Mike Mayock make several good selections in the last two NFL Drafts, his defense has not been able to generate the pressure it should to help out its inconsistent secondary. By looking at Paye with the No. 17 overall pick this spring, that could change quickly.
If the Raiders want to contend in the AFC West for years to come, they need to figure out a way to disrupt the timing and rhythm of division rival quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes. Even if Paye proves to be a better run defender than a pass rusher professionally, he has the physical presence to set his teammates up for success. The Raiders would not be reaching here.
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.
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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