NFL Scouting Report: EDGE Kwity Paye (Michigan)

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Bio

Pos: EDGE

Hometown: Providence, RI (via Guinea)

School: Michigan

Class: Senior

DOB: 11/19/1998 (22)

Height: 6’2″ (18%) | Weight: 261 lbs (54%)

Hands: N/A | Arms: 33” (42%)

Bench: 36 reps (99%) | 40-YD: 4.52s (97%)

Interesting Facts

2x 2nd-Team All-Big Ten (2019 and 2020)
Best pass-rush win rate (25.8%) in the Big Ten (2020)
Opted out of 2020 season after only 4 games
Played RB and DE in High School; Rhode Island Football Player of the Year
Originally committed to Boston College, then chose Michigan

Physical Tools

Pros

Fantastic upper-body strength (36 bench reps)
Great power in his hands
Thickly-built frame (6’2″, 261 lbs)
Very quick and “bendy” given his build
Outstanding straight-line speed (4.52s 40-YD)
Great combination of power and athleticism
Above-average explosion — 118″ broad (68%), 35″ vertical (78%)

Cons

Relatively short arms (33″ — 42nd %tile)
Tight quad prevented him from agility drills

Grade: A

Game Film

Pros

Great strength and extension at the point of attack
Strong and active hands to keep OL out of his chest
Consistent first-step burst
Terrific processor and a disciplined run defender
Sets the edge consistently and rarely over-pursues
Incredibly effective in tighter alignments
Most efficient converting speed to power
High motor in the trenches and in downfield pursuit

Cons

Can lack a plan if initial rush moves are smothered
Doesn’t have first-round caliber get-off like other top EDGE prospects
Surprisingly struggled on the interior
Doesn’t win with finesse nearly as often as power which will be more difficult

Grade: A-

Production

Pros

2x 2nd-Team All-Big Ten (2019, 2020)
Elite 26.5% pass-rush win rate, 9.5% run-stop rate in 2020
15th-rated EDGE (86.3), top-tier pass-rushing grades (87.1, 90.6)
Pressured QB on almost 16% of pass-rushing snaps (13% last 2 seasons)
77 total pressures since 2018 (10.5 sacks)
51 total run-stops over last 3 seasons (26 games)
Consistent year-over-year improvement (PFF grades of 71.1 to 80.9 to 86.3)

Cons

Opted out after just 4 games in 2020
Stat lines aren’t eye-popping
Inexperienced as an interior rusher (< 20% of career snaps)
59.8 pass-rushing grade on the inside

Grade: A-

Risk

Pros

Decorated 3.5-year Big Ten career (28 GP)
Thick frame and exceptional athletic profile
Consistently improved with each season
Quality instincts and processing ability
Driven by his family and upbringing as an immigrant
Strength, extension, and hand activity to stack-and-shed
Disciplined and experienced out on the edge
Stout run defender with good pass-rush potential
Team captain with noted high work ethic

Cons

Short(ish) arms & lacks elite explosiveness
Didn’t produce much in limited interior snaps
Technical improvements (pass rush counters)
Never mustered great production

Grade: A-

Overall

Born in a Guinean refugee camp during the 1st Liberian Civil War, Kwity Paye‘s family immigrated to the U.S. when he was just 6 months old. Settling in Rhode Island, Paye grew into a star athlete at Bishop Hendrickson HS, earning the state’s Gatorade Football Player of the Year as a senior in 2016. Flipping his commitment from Boston College to Michigan, Paye registered half a sack in both games he played as a true freshman then started 4 of his 10 games as a sophomore (2 sacks, 5.5 TFL).

Breaking out the following season, Paye logged 6.5 sacks and 12.5 TFL in 11 starts (12 games), yet opted to return to Michigan. Ultimately opting out of the 2020 season after 4 games, Paye’s surface-level stats weren’t eye-popping (2 sacks, 4 TFL), but his 25.8% pass-rush win rate led the Big Ten. In addition to a 13% pressure rate and 35 run-stops over the last 2 years, Paye is also one of the most well-rounded athletes of the entire class.

Listed atop Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List this past season, Paye put on a show at his Pro Day before his quad prevented him from lighting up the agility drills. At 6’2″, 261 pounds, what Paye may lack in length is more than made up for with power, processing ability, bend, and a rock-solid build. He might not have Chase Young-level explosion, but a quality first-step paired with flexibility and overwhelming power at the point-of-attack is a recipe for 3-down success.

Arguably the most pro-ready 4-3 DE of the class, Kwity will rarely need to come off the field. A stout and intelligent run defender with a hot motor, Paye’s speed-to-power efficiency will be his calling card as a pass-rusher. He might not win as often with finesse, but there’s no doubt Paye has the athleticism and internal drive to further develop his repertoire and quickly grow into one of the NFL’s most well-rounded DEs.

Pro Comp: EDGE Brandon Graham (Philadelphia Eagles)

Projected Round/Pick: Mid-1st Round

Prime Destinations: NYG, LAC, MIN, LV, MIA, CLE, NO

OVERALL Grade: A-