The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1273784
26 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2020 T heAthletic.com's Bruce Feldman puts out his list of the top 50 "freaks" in college football prior to every season, and he included two Michigan players on the 2020 edition he released July 21. Feldman pegged senior defensive end Kwity Paye as the No. 1 athletic "freak" in the entire country, primar- ily due to his speed in the three-cone drill, which the veteran writer de- scribed as Paye's "freakiest attribute." "The Wolverines have a few spe- cial athletes on their defensive line ([junior end] Aidan Hutchinson also possesses impressive agility for his size), but the 6-4, 271-pound Paye (50 tackles, 12.5 for loss, 6.5 sacks) has generated a lot of buzz among the NFL scouting community for some remarkable wheels," Feldman wrote. "He clocked the second-best three- cone time on the team at a blister- ing 6.37 seconds, which would have topped anyone at the 2020 combine. "Paye's 40 is also moving at 4.57, with a solid 34-inch vertical and 30 reps on the bench press." Feldman went on to reveal that the senior 's 40-yard dash time and his 4.15 pro shuttle time were both better than any defensive lineman or edge player who tested at this past Febru- ary's NFL Combine in Indianapolis. The writer also noted that Paye's 60-yard shuttle time of 11.3 is "elite," and that he was a member of a state championship 4x100-meter relay team at Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, R.I. The defensive end added a state title in the long jump as a junior, going 21 feet, five inches. "He has a rare blend of strength, control and balance, and his change of direction is probably even better than former Wolverine Freak [de- fensive end] Rashan Gary," Feldman concluded of Paye. Gary grabbed the No. 1 spot on the writer 's "freaks" list heading into the 2018 campaign, while another current Wolverine — redshirt sopho- more defensive end Julius Welschof — checked in at No. 37 overall as a freshman on that year's edition. Senior receiver Nico Collins was the only other U-M player to make an appearance on Feldman's 2020 list, slotting in at No. 47 overall. The analyst cited the Birmingham, Ala., native's agility as the primary reason for his inclusion. "[Michigan offensive coordinator] Josh Gattis has produced a bunch of big-time receivers over the past decade, and Collins is the latest in the pipeline," Feldman wrote. "Last season the Alabama native caught 37 passes for 729 yards with a team- leading seven touchdowns and 19.7 yards per catch. "The 6-4, 222-pound senior is a very dynamic athlete, running the 40 in the 4.4s, and his coaches rave about his toughness and body control." Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy also had high praise for the wideout earlier this month, when he noted on Twitter that NFL scouts were already raving about him. "Came as no surprise when NFL Combine scout grades were leaked and @UMichFootball WR Nico Collins was one of the highest-ranked seniors because he's been at [the] top of [the] @SeniorBowl board for months," Nagy tweeted. "Collins ran mid-4.4 at 228 lbs. prior to quarantine. Elite traits." — Austin Fox FRESHMAN DEFENSIVE END TRANSFERS TO RUTGERS Michigan freshman defensive end Aaron Lewis announced he would transfer July 16, despite never having played a game in the winged helmet. He came to Ann Arbor from Wil- liamstown, N.J., and revealed July 20 that he'd attend Rutgers to be closer to his mother. The 6-5, 235-pounder was tabbed just a three-star prospect by Rivals. com, but the outlet's Mid-Atlantic re- cruiting analyst Adam Friedman and long-time national guru Tom Lem- ming both had high expectations for him in Ann Arbor. Friedman noted Lewis "could really develop into a big-time player," but if that happens it won't be for the Wolverines. — Austin Fox MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Kwity Paye Receives Special Honor TheAthletic.com's Bruce Feldman tabbed Paye as the No. 1 athletic "freak" in college football heading into the 2020 season. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN