Pass rusher Paye from Michigan offers raw talent
One area of immediate need for the Philadelphia Eagles is defensive end, a position widely believed to be deficient in this year’s NFL Draft.
Nevertheless, there could be some tempting options at No. 12 in the first round, which is where the Eagles have landed since trading the No. 6 pick to the Miami Dolphins. And even though general manager Howie Roseman loves to remind us at every turn that the Eagles are always just looking to bring in the best available athlete, all of their fans know otherwise by now.
At No. 12, the Eagles will be drafting a player they expect will start or contribute right away as part of a rotation.
Kwity Paye, who was used in a variety of ways, perhaps to his detriment, on the Michigan defensive line, could fit that designation. So we begin this series of profiling their potential targets leading up to the start of the draft on April 29 with Paye, a raw talent with lethal, measured explosiveness.
Paye played at a heavier, ‘tweener weight of around 272 pounds at Michigan, but he clearly is preparing to play a 4-3 defensive end who has the versatility to rush the passer from the inside at the next level. He showed up at his Pro Day weighing 261 pounds and measuring 6-foot-2½, then ran the 40-yard dash in 4.54 seconds and did 36 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.
Paye in his college career finished with 100 tackles (23.5 for losses) and 11.5 sacks in 38 games. But the feeling, at least according to former Eagles scout Daniel Jeremiah, now an NFL Network analyst, is that the relatively low sack total doesn’t tell the story.
“Kwity is interesting because (former Michigan defensive coordinator) Don Brown … moved him all over the place, a lot of times in a zero technique, head-up over the center, and they just kind of run
games with him,” Jeremiah said in a conference call with reporters. “But he is strong and explosive. You know the test numbers there. When everybody sees them, it’s just ridiculous how explosive this kid is going to jump and run and all that stuff.
“But to me, when you have an explosive player like that, I like it when they give him a runway. Give him some distance, kick him out there in a Wide Nine, let him have that runway where he can generate all that speed and power and collapse the pocket.”
The Eagles ran a Wide Nine on most passing downs under former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. How they’ll play their defensive linemen under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon is unclear. Gannon still has not been made available for interviews, and new head coach Nick Sirianni has not been asked about it in his extremely limited conversations with reporters.
Not that Paye will need that specific alignment to flourish. He just needs definition, according to Jeremiah.
“I think this kid is going to be a better pro than he was in college when somebody cuts him loose,” Jeremiah said. “I’m excited to watch him.”
Furthermore, he believes Paye would be a great pick for the Eagles at No. 12.
“To me, he’s No. 2 [at the position],” Jeremiah said. “[Miami’s] Greg Rousseau gives you a little bit more size and length — somebody, again, who can play inside or outside. It’s close between those two guys. But let’s put this in context with … the Philadelphia Eagles taking an edge rusher, which they can use, at No. 6. Probably a little bit rich. Now we go back to pick No. 12. … A guy like Kwity Paye comes into play for them at pick No. 12.”
Edge rushers are coveted in the NFL more than any position except quarterback. As such, sometimes their values get artificially inflated.
But by all accounts, Paye is the real deal.
On ESPN, draft expert Todd McShay said: “When I put on the tape, Kwity Paye is different. He has suddenness and twitchiness that some of these other guys don’t have. And I know his stats weren’t exceptional, but he is constantly disrupting. The other thing I love about him, you’ve got to have this as a defensive end or pass-rusher: the motor. He flies around the field, he plays sideline to sideline, he will chase you down from behind, and he’s got explosive workout numbers as well.”
Paye theoretically would be the natural successor to Brandon Graham, another Michigan product, down the road.
He would play in a rotation with Graham, Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat until then.
Actually, all four could be on the field at the same time in certain situations because of Graham’s ability to rush from the inside.
Could Paye be the Eagles’ target? We’ll find out soon enough.