Paye, Mayfield Can Achieve A Rare Feat At U-M In This Year's NFL Draft
Senior defensive end Kwity Paye and redshirt sophomore right tackle Jalen Mayfield are heavily viewed as the Michigan Wolverines' top two football prospects heading into April's NFL Draft.
Paye is expected to come off the board in the first round, while mock draft projections have been varied on whether or not Mayfield will join him in the first 32 picks. TheAthletic.com's Bruce Feldman released his first mock draft this week, and had both Wolverine players being chosen within the top 24 selections.
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Feldman pegged Paye to hear his name called at No. 23 overall by the New York Jets and Mayfield to go one spot later at No. 24 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The prognosticator didn't only provide a quick writeup on why he expects both players to land in those respective spots, but expanded a bit with some intriguing commentary.
Feldman provided a "Coaching Intel" section for each of his 32 projected first-round picks, which included anonymous analysis from coaches, scouts and analysts he spoke with about each prospect.
"[New York Jets head coach] Robert Saleh still has some good options available for much-needed edge-rushing help," Feldman wrote of his Paye-to-the-Jets projection. "Paye is the freakiest D-lineman in this draft.
"The 6-foot-3, 272-pounder put up amazing numbers in the team’s workout program, showing off jaw-dropping athleticism and clocking the second-best 3-cone time on the team at a blistering 6.37 seconds, which would have topped anyone at the 2020 combine.
"The former high school running back who reported to Ann Arbor at 228 pounds was a member of a state championship 4×100 meter relay team in high school."
As for the "Coaching Intel" section on Paye…
“He is super explosive and has a high motor," said an anonymous observer. "He has the ability to be a speed guy or a power guy, where he can really bull-rush you. He can really turn the corner, but he is not a long dude.
"He could have trouble against a polished 6-foot-7 guy.”
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