2021 NFL Draft prospects to watch: Big Ten Conference
By Kyle Edmond
Michigan – Kwity Paye, Edge Rusher, Senior
Michigan has lost a lot off the edge recently in Josh Uche, Chase Winovich and Noah Furbush to name a few, so now it’s time for another player to step into the opening. The next on the list? Kwity Paye.
A year ago Paye was second on the Wolverines in sacks, behind just Uche, registering 6.5 on the year. Additionally, he led Michigan in tackles for loss with 12.5, more than showcasing his ability to create pressure and chaos in the backfield. If he can bring his tackle total up from 50 last season, he should find his name in the talk of the first few rounds like Uche and Winovich before him.
Another thing Paye has going for him is his progression. As a freshman he had just one sack and then two as a sophomore, so he made a big jump to 6.5 last year. Tackles for loss are a similar story going from 1.5 to 5.5 then to 12.5, more than doubling his total.
If Paye can keep this up, then he could be in for a monstrous senior campaign which would greatly change his status for the 2021 NFL Draft. He doesn’t have to double his numbers again, but if he can continue to increase the total just a little, it’ll continue to show that effort.