One player that would be a nice bolster for the Cardinals’ pass rush is Michigan edge rusher Kwity Paye.
The Arizona Cardinals continue to build their franchise back into a winning culture. From building an elite offense around second-year quarterback Kyler Murray to bringing in more defensive playmakers like linebacker De’Vondre Campbell to bolster their defense, this team is built to compete. However, there is still one key piece they are missing: the edge rusher position. Outside of Chandler Jones, there are not a whole lot of answers to the Cardinals’ pass rush.
Former Utah standout Leki Fotu is a tremendous addition for the future of the Cardinals’ run defense. Looking ahead into the 2021 NFL Draft class, there are some key edge rushers that the Cardinals could snag early. One player that would be a nice boost for the Cardinals’ pass rush is Michigan edge rusher Kwity Paye.
Michigan has done a nice job producing defensive playmakers for the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers traded up for Devin Bush in last year’s draft, who is now one of the faces of that defense. The Green Bay Packers selected Rashan Gary, who has all the tangibles to be an elite pass rusher in the league, with their 12 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Kwity Paye could be the next guy added to that list.
Paye possesses elite speed with a high motor off the ball. Whether the play is out of reach or not, he never takes plays off. At 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds, Paye is a freakish athlete and dominates with his technique. Not only does he excel on the outside, but he has dominated on the interior as well. One of the games that stood out was the 2019 game against Iowa, where Paye finished with three solo tackles and 2.5 sacks. However, the key matchup for him here was former Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, who was drafted 13th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 NFL Draft. There were a few plays where Paye beat out Wirfs on the inside with his speed, technique and powerful jab step, resulting in a sack on former Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley. Kwity Paye is the definition of a highlight reel player. A college football reporter from The Athletic called Paye an “athletic freak” and that is just what he is. He finished the 2019 season with 26 solo tackles and 6.5 sacks. He is still weighing his return to Michigan due to the postponement of the Big Ten college football season. If Paye plays in the spring, expect a breakout season for him and a rise in his draft stock.
As impressive as he is, there is one weakness of Kwity Paye that can become quite concerning at times. He is a quick and athletic player, but there are times where he isn’t very powerful with his initial step off the ball. When this does happen, he will still drive his feet and finish the play. But, when his initial step lacks power, he loses all of his leverage and is too high off the ball. This became noticeable during the 2019 matchup against Ohio State. With his speed and initial drive, the bull rush is something that Paye can excel in. However, because he didn’t have that explosiveness when the play started, Paye was beat a few times off the ball.
Kwity Paye has really put himself on the radar with his performance at Michigan. If he does decide to opt out of the 2020 season, Paye still has plenty of impressive tape to look at. With some minor tweaks to his game, Paye will be a special player to watch in the NFL and would be a nice addition to the Cardinals’ pass rush.
