Mason Graham Wasn’t Dominant Enough on Game Film

I tried to talk myself into giving Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham a first-round grade. I tried to do it when I evaluated his game film in 2023 and again when I evaluated his 2024 game film, but I just couldn’t.

Graham is a strong try-hard, but he didn’t look elite on his game film. He didn’t take over. Despite logging five sacks and 20 quarterback hurries in 2024 (PFF), I liked him better as a run defender. That’s where his consistent high effort shined the most. Graham scratched, clawed, and did whatever he could to stop running backs.

Since jumping back into the evaluation game in 2021, I’ve seen what a struggle it’s been for a lot of these good college defensive tackles to transition into the NFL. For every Jalen Carter (Eagles), and Calijah Kancey (Bucs), many others have turned out to be just average. A lot of them can clog up space, but being truly disruptive consistently is rare. For starters, they have to have that dawg in them. From there, they need to have enough brute power, pass-rush moves, and speed to get to the quarterback and create real pressure.

Graham is as strong as an ox, but he’s lacking in the other two categories.

Strength

The number of double-team blocks Graham drew on his 2024 game film revealed how much his opponents respected his raw strength.

I tallied 61 double-team blocks in passing situations and 16 on running plays.

Graham was a handful at the point of attack, but there were only three reps in these 12 games when he was able to drive an offensive guard into the quarterback (Washington, Oregon, and Northwestern).

Pass rush toolbox

Graham’s signature pass-rush move is a swim move.

Stop that and he’s done.

He doesn’t use the swim move much, but it’s the move he attempts to use most often.

Graham is an unpolished pass rusher.

He’s unpolished setting up offensive linemen for the moves and he’s unpolished in terms of frequency and usage.

Speed

Even on the reps he managed to get into a gap and create some disruption, he typically only showed enough speed to get to the quarterback as he was throwing or after ⎯and that was at the college level.

It tended to take him too long to beat blocks (if he did) and he did not show the necessary juice to make up the difference. I also noticed that even when he got to the quarterback as he threw, they tended to complete the passes.

NFL projection

Graham is a good football player.

He’s just not great.

This prospect is an ideal No. 2 starting defensive tackle on an NFL roster that already has one dominant defensive tackle in place. He’s similar conceptionally to the Eagles’ defensive tackle Jordan Davis and what Davis means to Carter. Davis isn’t a sack-artist, but he demands a lot of attention and helps free up Carter to do his thing.

Graham is an early ideal day-two value.

#55 Mason Graham 6-foot-3, 320 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2025 NFL Draft Grade: Second-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 96.5% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of March 8, 2025 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Defensive Tackle Mason Graham Needs to Put it Altogether (2023: 13 games evaluated)

2024 game film evaluated: Fresno State, Texas, Arkansas State, USC, Minnesota, Washington, Illinois, Michigan State, Oregon, Indiana, Northwestern, and Ohio State (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

High motor gap shooter with limited flexibility. More of a pressure guy than a sack artist. Busyness doesn’t match production. Good energy level. Tenacious. Raw. Tough. Physical. Uses hands, but lacks consistent technique. Jolts at point of attack. Enough strength to lock out vs. solo blocks. Above average short-area speed and close in the pocket. Thick midsection. Likes to run inside and outside “X” stunts. Below average redirect. Tight movements. Below average adjustments in space. Additional pass rush moves: head fake, spin, and pull down and go. Stalls out too often vs. the pass. Great effort vs. the run. Inconsistent shed. Misses some tackling opportunities.

Final words

I’m not seeing what the rest of the draft community is seeing with Graham.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.