No defensive tackle has been picked in the top five of the NFL Draft since the New York Jets took Quinnen Williams third overall in 2019. Mason Graham has a real chance to break that trend in the 2025 NFL Draft after a very successful career at Michigan.
Mason Graham scouting report
Background
College: Michigan
Rookie year age: 22
Height: 6’3
Weight: 320
Awards: Unanimous All-American (2024), Second-Team All-American (2023), First-Team All-Big Ten (2023, 2024)
Mason Graham was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2022, ranked outside of the top 200 prospects. Still, he was able to carve out a rotational role for the Wolverines as a true freshman behind Mazi Smith and Kris Jenkins.
Entering his sophomore year Graham was named a preseason All-American, and lived up to the hype with 29 pressures in 13 games and played a key role in Michigan’s National Championship win. In an age where it’s pass rushers coming off the edge that get talked about the most, Graham managed to make the kind of impact from the interior that has him included in those kinds of conversations.
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Stats
| Season | Team | Class | Games | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Michigan | FR | 14 | 27 | 3 | 2.5 | 13 |
| 2023 | Michigan | SO | 13 | 36 | 8 | 3.0 | 29 |
| 2024 | Michigan | JR | 12 | 45 | 7 | 3.5 | 34 |
| Career | 39 | 108 | 18 | 9.0 | 76 |
Strengths
-Built like a nose tackles but has the athleticism of a stand-up edge rusher
-Has the play strength to occupy multiple blockers at one
-Plays violently and with a high motor
-Wins with technique as much as strength and athleticism, rarely penalized
-Can be a factor against the run and pass right away, a true three-down player
Weaknesses
-Tackle radius is on the smaller side
-Ability to win leverage is inconsistent
-Can get lost in traffic when the play breaks down
Video breakdown
Bottom line
Mason Graham is the kind of elite athlete at the defensive tackle position that is becoming more and more prevalent as a building block of an NFL defense. While defensive tackle may not be a conventional ‘premium position’ there’s no doubt Graham is a premium prospect in a draft thin on such players. Will a team trust him to anchor their defensive front as a pro?