The 2021 NFL Draft isn't set to take place until April 29-May 1, but mock drafts and projections have nevertheless been coming out fast and furious in recent weeks. Most of the talk surrounding the Michigan Wolverines' football prospects has centered around senior defensive end Kwity Paye, but redshirt sophomore right tackle Jalen Mayfield is beginning to get more and more attention as well.

Paye and Mayfield seem to be U-M's top NFL prospects in this year's cycle, with redshirt sophomore linebacker Cameron McGrone checking in third on that list at times.

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The recent projections surrounding Paye, in particular, have been overwhelmingly positive, with prognosticators as of late consistently projecting him to not only be a first round pick, but the majority of experts also pegging him to go in the top 10.

Vinnie Iyer of SportingNews continued that trend today, when he tabbed Paye to come off the board at No. 9 to the Denver Broncos.

"The Broncos have an uncertain future with [linebacker] Von Miller and need to pair another young impact player with [linebacker] Bradley Chubb who can get after the quarterback and dominate physically and athletically against offensive tackles," Iyer wrote.

"Paye is a freak of nature and has quickly shot up draft boards. It's hard not to think about a combination of [defensive end] Ziggy Ansah and [linebacker] Jason Pierre-Paul in that sense."

Paye wasn't the only Wolverine Iyer projected to hear his name called in the first round. The analyst also pegged Mayfield to come off the board 12 spots later to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 21 overall.

"The Colts must think about a replacement for 32-year-old retiree [offensive tackle] Anthony Castonzo first," Iyer noted. "Mayfield has stood out on film with his size, length and strength and can develop into a smooth blocker a la the Broncos' [offensive tackle] Garett Bolles."

Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, released his list of the top 100 prospects heading into the NFL Draft Jan. 12, and shared a similar sentiment as Iyer on Paye.

The two differed immensely on Mayfield though.

"Paye has everything you could want physically to be an every-down problem in the NFL," Renner wrote after tabbing Paye as the 11th best player in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the best defensive athlete.

"While he never put it altogether at Michigan, he’s shown he can take to coaching and has made strides every single year."

Renner then pegged Mayfield as the No. 65 overall player in the draft, which is obviously quite a discrepancy from Iyer, who had him going No. 21 overall. Renner also had McGrone at No. 86.

CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson released a mock draft today as well and wasn't quite as high on Paye as his predecessors were, projecting the Providence, R.I., native to come off the board at No. 17 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders.

"The Raiders' defense is a mess and they have to get better at getting after the QB," Wilson explained. "Paye, meanwhile, is an athletic marvel who showed vast improvement from the '19 to '20 seasons."

Wilson did not have Mayfield going in the first round. Pro Football Network's Tony Pauline, finally, perhaps had the biggest twist of all, when he ranked Mayfield ahead of Paye on the big board he released yesterday.

Granted, it was only a one-spot difference (Mayfield as the No. 25 overall player and Paye at No. 26), but surprising nonetheless. Pauline also listed three other Wolverines inside his top 100, with cornerback Ambry Thomas checking in at No. 66, wideout Nico Collins at No. 72 and McGrone at No. 94.

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