GREEN BAY, Wis. – 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 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.
Graham is a read-and-respond type of athlete, which helped him wreak havoc throughout his collegiate career and helped Michigan win the 2023 CFP National Championship.
The junior defensive tackle was stout at the point of attack, demonstrating significant leverage and body control.
Graham’s high activity level led to impressive foot quickness for the Wolverines, even during a down year in wins, when the program only won eight games last season.
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.
