ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan Wolverines significantly impacted the NFL draft, with three national championship players going in the first round.
To make matters better, they were the only school to have two top-10 picks in this year’s draft.
During Thursday’s (April 24) festivities, defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant and tight end Colston Loveland all heard their names called.
The selection of three University of Michigan football players being drafted tied the record for the most in school history.
Tyrone Wheatley, Ty Law, and Trezelle Jenkins went in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft to set the record for most drafted players.
That record was matched in the 2001 draft, when David Terrell, Steve Hutchinson, and Jeff Backus were selected in the first round.
DT Mason Graham
- Drafted: No. 5 overall by the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns selected Michigan Wolverines national championship-winning defensive tackle Mason Graham with the No. 5 pick in Thursday’s first round of the NFL draft.
The Browns traded picks No. 2, 105, and 200 to the Jacksonville Jaguars for picks No.5, 36, and 126 to move back to take Graham.
Graham, who is regarded as one of the top players in the country, joins a litany of Wolverines defensive tackles who anchored the interior for the men in maize, like Mazi Smith and Kris Jenkins Jr., as he, like them, enters the National Football League. His elusiveness disrupted many offenses during his tenure in Ann Arbor.
The 6′3″ 296-pound defensive tackle’s closing burst leads to him becoming a menace not only for offensive linemen, but he will continuously be in the face of opposing quarterbacks.
Graham was a first-team Associated Press All-American, a First-team All-Big Ten, a finalist for the Bednarik Award, awarded to the nation’s top defender, and an Outland Trophy finalist for the nation’s top offensive/defensive lineman while starting all 12 games for the Wolverines.
He finished the 2024 season with 45 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three and a half sacks, helping Michigan reach the ReliaQuest Bowl, which they ultimately won, defeating Alabama on New Year’s Eve.
As a sophomore in the 2023 national championship season, Graham was selected First-team All-Big Ten Conference, Rose Bowl Defensive MVP, while starting 13 games for the national champions, totaling 36 tackles, seven and a half tackles for loss with three sacks, one pass break up, and a forced fumble.
As a freshman, Graham played in all 14 games as a reserve, totaling 27 tackles, two and a half sacks, and one pass breakup during the 2022 season.
TE Colston Loveland
- Drafted: No. 10 overall by the Chicago Bears.
Michigan Wolverines national championship-winning tight end Colston Loveland was selected by the Chicago Bears with the No. 10 pick in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday.
Loveland was one of the most athletic tight ends in program history. Sometimes, he’d like to play outside at wide receiver and route up opposing teams’ best cornerbacks.
His footwork and agility were second to none at the position. He had supreme separation when faced with man coverage and gained tough yards during his illustrious career with the men in maize.
The 6′6″ 248-pound pass catcher was selected to the second-team All-Big Ten while leading the lackluster passing offense with a single-season tight end program record 56 receptions for 582 yards and five receiving touchdowns.
Loveland was a finalist for the John Mackey Award, which is awarded to the nation’s top tight end.
He played in 10 games with seven starts as he missed time last season due to a shoulder injury.
Loveland made first-team All-Big Ten Conference while playing in all 15 games, starting 12 games for the national champion Wolverines in 2023.
During that season, Loveland snagged 45 catches for 649 yards and four touchdowns.
During the 2022 season, Loveland won the team’s Offensive and Co-Special Teams Rookie of the Year, playing in 14 games while starting five, catching 16 receptions for 235 yards and two touchdowns.
Before his collegiate career, Loveland was named Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior, as he caught 62 passes for 968 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He also toted the rock 33 times for 352 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
DT Kenneth Grant
- Drafted: No. 13 overall by the Miami Dolphins.
Michigan Wolverines national championship-winning defensive tackle Kenneth Grant was selected by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 13 pick in the first round of Thursday’s NFL draft.
Grant left behind a significant presence that only a few could ever match in Ann Arbor. The defensive tackle was a freak athlete for the Wolverines.
He uses his power to defeat single blocks and split double teams when he finds creases on the opposing team’s offensive lines.
As a Michigan man, Grant left an athletic impression as he once had a vertical jump of at least 29 inches which is impressive for a man of his stature.
Back in 2023, during Michigan’s reactive plyo stairs test, Grant showed off his athleticism jumping a series of seven 26-inch-high stairs that the Wolverines jump while trying to record their fastest time.
The freakishly talented future Pro-Bowl athlete was a third-team Associated Press All-American and second-team All-Big Ten while starting 12 games for the men in maize.
Grant finished the year with 32 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss with three sacks and five pass breakups.
He almost had a game-changing scoop-and-score against USC but got hawked down and fumbled the ball back to the Trojans.
Grant was a second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection in 2023.
He played in all 15 games, starting five for the national champion Wolverines. He recorded 29 tackles, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception, and six pass breakups.
In 2022, Grant played in all 14 games as a reserve, where he racked up eight tackles.
CB Will Johnson
- Drafted: No. 47 overall by the Arizona Cardinals.
Michigan Wolverines national championship-winning cornerback Will Johnson was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 47 pick in the second round of the NFL draft on Friday.
Johnson, a Detroit native, left a legacy at the University of Michigan as a cornerback who made big-time plays in big-time games.
The way his instincts kicked in most of the time was reminiscent of another No. 2-wearing cornerback, Sir Charles Woodson, as both players led the Wolverines to national championships.
When healthy, Johnson consistently demonstrated great body control. He was known for changing direction while jumping routes to make house calls against opposing defenders.
The 6′2″ 194-pound phenom was selected as third team Associated Press All-American and was an honorable mention All-Big Ten player during the 2024 season.
Mr. Turnover Buff was tied for the team lead with two interceptions. He also set a school record with three interceptions returned for touchdowns in his Michigan career.
Johnson also tied a school record with two interceptions returned for touchdowns in a single season.
During his Junior season, Johnson started six games acquiring 14 tackles, one tackle for loss and three pass break-up before missing the second half of the season with a foot injury.
Johnson was selected first-team All-Big Ten Conference while leading the Wolverines with four interceptions (One returned for a touchdown).
He also won the National Championship Game Defensive Most Valuable Player award after recording four tackles and one interception, helping the Wolverines to their first national championship since 1998.
Johnson played in 12 games, starting 11 times, and recorded 27 tackles, one tackle for loss, and four pass breakups.
As a freshman in 2022, Johnson made freshman All-American while playing in all 14 games, starting five while accumulating 27 tackles, three interceptions, three pass breakups and two tackles for loss.
Before committing to Michigan, Johnson was a five-star recruit and a top 20 overall prospect nationally.
On a side note, his father Deon Johnson played defensive back for the Wolverines from 1990-1994, winning three Big Ten championships.
DE Josaiah Stewart
- Drafted: No. 90 overall by the Los Angeles Rams.
Michigan Wolverines national championship-winning defensive end Josaiah Stewart was selected by the Los Angeles Rams with pick No. 90 in the third round of the NFL draft on Friday.
Stewart fell to the third round due to his size as an outside linebacker, but that didn’t stop him from meeting opposing teams’ quarterbacks and running backs in the backfield, causing a sack or a tackle for loss with the Wolverines.
His first step off the line displayed his quickness, helping him bend the edge like Pro Football Hall of Fame DE Dwight Freeney, as he can transition from speed to aggressive and powerful backfield pressure.
Stewart was named second-team All-Big Ten in 2024 as he led the Wolverines with 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
He started 11 games, accumulating 33 tackles and two forced fumbles.
Stewart was named honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference in 2023, playing in all 15 games as a reserve for the national champion Wolverines.
During that season, he made 38 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss while with 5.5 sacks and two pass breakups.
