One of the best returning players on Michigan’s roster heading into the 2020 season is defensive lineman Kwity Paye. He had the opportunity to declare for the NFL Draft following the 2019 season — or when the 2020 campaign was in jeopardy — but decided to put on the Wolverines uniform one more time.

And there’s a reason he decided to come back.

Paye talked with reporters this week about his decision to return, saying he received plenty of advice running counter to his decision. He said that a lot of people were “in his ear” telling him to make the leap to the NFL.

“I’ve gotten advice from a million people — whether it’s ‘Oh, you should leave,’ or ‘Oh, declare now and get the process rolling,’ and blah, blah blah,” Paye said, according to Angelique Chengelis of The Detroit News. “For me, I tell people this all the time, I came back for a reason. I didn’t come back just to say, ‘Oh, I’m coming back.’ I came back to play a season. That was the only thing going through my head. That’s why I stayed so long with hopes of playing this season.”

Defensive coordinator Don Brown is certainly happy Paye decided to stick around.

Earlier this week, Brown said that Paye and Aidan Hutchinson might make up the best defensive line tandem in the conference this fall.

“If there’s a better tandem, I wouldn’t know it and I wouldn’t want it,” Brown said.

Paye caused a lot of trouble for offenses last season. The defensive lineman collected 50 tackles, 12.5 stops for loss, 6.5 sacks and 3 quarterback hurries on the year. He’ll be one of the top linemen in the conference in 2020.