2021 Mock Draft: Why EDGE Kwity Paye Would Shine in Detroit

Read more on why Kwity Paye could be the EDGE rusher that revamps the Detroit Lions' defense.

It's already that time of year to begin to look ahead to next year's NFL Draft.

The key area of concern at this time remains Detroit's defense.

Ahead of a NFC North matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, the Lions' 2020 defense has performed among the worst in the organization's history. 

In Pro Football Focus' latest 2021 mock draft, Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Kwity Paye is selected by the New York Giants with the No. 8 overall pick. 

Currently, Detroit sits at No. 7, and should seriously consider utilizing its draft resources to drastically upgrade its defense. 

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According to PFF, "Paye is a rare athlete that won’t last deep into the first round if he does test as well as expected at the 2021 NFL Scouting Combine. He also has the fourth-best PFF pass-rush win rate (26%) of any Power 5 edge defender in the country."

At Michigan, Paye recorded 100 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 38 career games. 

His PFF pass-rush grade of 87.1 was tops for a Wolverines defense that struggled to limit opponents in 2020. 

An aggressive defensive scheme and head coach (i.e. Robert Saleh) would certainly benefit from Paye's skill set, and begin the turnaround for a defensive unit in desperate need of productive pass-rushers. 

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