ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Looks like ‘salt and pepper’ will have one more year together, if everything remains at status quo.

Both junior Kwity Paye and sophomore Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan’s two starting defensive ends, won the Richard Katcher award, given to the team’s best defensive lineman/outside linebacker by the coaches. While Hutchinson has another surefire year, as he isn’t yet eligible to enter the NFL via the draft, Paye has a decision to make.

And while he certainly could go to the pro ranks, as of right now, he thinks he’ll likely remain in Ann Arbor for one more season.

“I submitted my name to the (NFL) for the grade,” Paye said. “I get it back the next week or so. I’ll make my choice after that.

“I think I’m leaning towards coming back. I think one more year would help this team, help myself. I’d graduate with my degree.”

In the 2019 regular season, Paye led the Wolverines with 12.5 tackles for loss, while adding 49 tackles and 6.5 sacks, the latter being the second-highest on the team behind LB Josh Uche, who is going to the NFL after Michigan’s turn in the VRBO Citrus Bowl.

When making this type of decision, there’s a few people Paye is leaning on in the coaching staff. For him, he feels like the defense can capitalize with the bulk returning.

As he notes, some will be gone — Uche, seniors Lavert Hill, Carlo Kemp and Khaleke Hudson — but for the most part, everyone should be back next year.

“I talked to Coach Brown a lot, Coach Nua,” Paye said. “I feel like this year was alright, but I feel like come back, get my degree. Hope to see a little more. We’ll have a lot of guys coming back on this defense. We’ll lose three or four guys.”

For now, Paye will wait to see what his draft grade comes back as. Regardless, he will play in the VRBO Citrus Bowl against Alabama, coming up Jan. 1 at 1PM EST at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.