Mason Graham

OVERVIEW

 Mason Graham is a high-motor defensive lineman with excellent quickness off the snap and a relentless pursuit of the ball. His ability to penetrate the backfield and disrupt both the run and pass game makes him a versatile and impactful player. Graham's wrestling background gives him superior leverage and balance, making him tough to handle in one-on-one matchups. However, he often relies more on raw power than refined technique, which can make him predictable against experienced offensive linemen. While Graham’s physical attributes and motor are impressive, he needs to expand his pass-rush moves to consistently beat NFL-caliber blockers. His shorter stature can be a disadvantage when facing taller linemen, and he sometimes struggles to disengage from blocks, limiting his snap-to-snap effectiveness. Addressing these areas will be key for his development and impact at the next level. Overall, Graham’s blend of power, agility, and relentless effort makes him a top prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft, likely to be selected in the top 10. Teams seeking a disruptive presence on the defensive line will find a lot to like in Graham. With further refinement and growth, he has the potential to be a cornerstone of an NFL defensive unit.

 BACKGROUND

Mason Graham, hailing from Anaheim, California, attended Servite High School where he earned a 4-star rating from 247 Sports and a 3-star rating from ESPN. At Servite, Graham was a dominant force on the football field and a standout wrestler, showcasing his impressive athletic ability and strength. His senior year was remarkable with 66 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 14 sacks. Graham initially committed to Boise State but later joined Michigan, where he quickly made a name for himself. In his freshman year at Michigan in 2022, Graham played in 13 games, accumulating 286 snaps. He recorded 17 tackles, 10 assists, 17 stops, and contributed as a pass rusher with 12 total pressures, including 8 QB hurries, one QB hit, and 3 sacks. His sophomore year in 2023 saw further development playing in 12 games on 396 snaps, resulting in 24 tackles, 5 assists, 26 stops, and 24 pressures, which included 14 QB hurries, 6 QB hits, and 4 sacks. His efforts earned him second-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honors, contributing to Michigan's national championship run. Graham’s combination of strength, agility, and relentless motor has made him a standout defensive tackle. His ability to disrupt plays, combined with his wrestling background, gives him a unique advantage on the field.

 ANALYSIS

 PROS

 Relentless motor and agility make him nearly unblockable, constantly applying pressure on the offensive line. Exceptional hand usage and strong lower body allow him to shed blocks and anchor effectively in the interior. Quick first step and strong punch enable him to penetrate backfields consistently. Versatile, capable of playing both inside and outside on the defensive line, maintaining leverage at the point of attack. High motor and relentless pursuit, ensuring he is always around the ball, contributing both as a run stopper and pass rusher. Effective in chest-to-chest tackles, using his strength to make impactful plays in the hole. Consistently able to disrupt plays with his combination of power and technique, including a tight spin move to win as an edge rusher. Strong wrestling background enhances his leverage and balance, making him formidable in one-on-one situations.

CONS

 

 Occasionally struggles to shed blocks consistently, limiting his effectiveness in some plays. Relies heavily on strength over technique, which can make him predictable against experienced linemen. On the shorter side for his position, which can be a disadvantage against taller offensive linemen. Needs to diversify his pass-rush moves to become more consistently effective against higher-level competition. Inconsistency in separating from blocks makes him more of a disruptive presence rather than a dominant force every snap.

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HISTORY -- From College Profile

CAREER HIGHS

• Tackles: 6 - at Minnesota (Oct. 7, 2023)
• Solos: 3, 2x - last vs. Nebraska (Nov. 12, 2022)
• Asst: 3 - at Minnesota (Oct. 7, 2023)
• TFLs: 2.0 - at Minnesota (Oct. 7, 2023)
• Sacks: 1.0, 4x - last vs. Ohio State (Nov. 25, 2023)
• Int: none
• FR: 1 - vs. Indiana (Oct. 14, 2023)
• PBUs: 1, 2x - last vs. Iowa (Dec. 2, 2023)

At Michigan
• All-American (second team, 2023)
• All-Big Ten selection (first team, coaches; third team, media, 2023)
• Tournament of Roses 2023 Rose Bowl Game Defensive MVP
• Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2023)
• Shared Defensive Freshman of the Year honors (2022)
• Two-time letterman (2022-23)
• Has appeared in 27 games with 15 starts along the defensive line

Sophomore (2023)
• Appeared in 13 games with 13 starts along the defensive interior; made 36 tackles including 7.5 for loss and 3.0 sacks with three quarterback hurries, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery (advanced 12 yards) to earn his third varsity letter 
• Named an All-American (second team) by the Sporting News
• All-Big Ten selection (first team, coaches; third team, media)
• Tournament of Roses 2023 Rose Bowl Game Defensive MVP
• Seven times shared Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against ECU, UNLV, Indiana, Purdue, at Minnesota, at Michigan State, at Maryland
• Started along the defensive front against ECU (Sept. 2)
• In a start against UNLV (Sept. 9), forced a fumble among five tackles with 1.5 for loss including a shared sack
• Contributed along the defensive line with a split tackle for loss and started on the inside against Bowling Green (Sept. 16)
• Returned to the starting lineup at Minnesota (Oct.7) and led the team with six tackles including two for loss with an eight-yard sack
• Against Indiana (Oct. 14), started and delivered two tackles and recovered a fumble that was advanced 12 yards
• At Michigan State (Oct. 21), made one tackle, a four-yard TFL, and started on the inside
• Credited with two tackles from the interior in a start against Purdue (Nov. 4)
• Made two tackles and was credited with a quarterback hurry starting at Penn State (Nov. 11)
• At Maryland (Nov. 18), started and delivered four tackles including a shared tackle for loss
• Credited with a three-yard sack among two tackles starting against Ohio State (Nov. 25)
• Broke up one pass starting against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship (Dec. 2)
• Earned defensive player of the game honors for a critical TFL in overtime against Alabama in the Rose Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Jan. 1) and finished with four stops
• Started along the interior and made three tackles against Washington in the CFP National Championship Game (Jan. 8)

Freshman (2022)
• Appeared in all 14 games along the defensive line with two starts at tackle; made 27 tackles with 2.5 sacks, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry to earn his first varsity letter
• Freshman All-American by Pro Football Focus
• Shared Defensive Freshman of the Year honors
• On three occasions, named Defensive Freshman of the Game following his performance against Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois
• Debuted against Colorado State (Sept. 3) and recorded two assisted tackles and a split sack playing along the defensive interior 
• Credited with a pass breakup, his first, playing on the interior against Hawaii (Sept. 10)
• Played along the defensive interior against UConn (Sept. 17)
• Assisted on two stops from the defensive interior against Maryland (Sept. 24)
• Made his first career start at Iowa (Oct. 1) and recorded four tackles, a new best, with one sack
• Recorded two tackles playing inside against Indiana (Oct. 8)
• Started on the interior against Penn State (Oct. 15) and assisted on one tackle
• Credited with a solo tackle playing against Michigan State (Oct. 29) 
• Made one solo tackle playing along the defensive interior at Rutgers (Nov. 5)
• Made a sack among three solo tackles playing along the interior against Nebraska (Nov. 12)
• Against Illinois (Nov. 19), matched his single-season best with four tackles including one for no gain 
• Assisted on three tackles playing along the interior at Ohio State (Nov. 26) 
• Made a solo tackle playing on the inside against Purdue in the Big Ten Championship (Dec. 3)
• Assisted on two tackles playing defensive line and special teams against TCU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Dec. 31)

Prep
• Attended Servite High School (2022) coached by Troy Thomas; plans to enroll early at Michigan
• Helped Servite to a 10-3 record his senior year and an appearance in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship with a top-10 national MaxPreps ranking
• Posted a 4-2 record in a COVID-shortened junior season; the team was 7-4 his sophomore year
• Played football and wrestled all four years

Key Statistics
• Two-way player also starting at tackle on the offensive line; recorded 60 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 14 sacks as a senior
• Contributed nine stops, two tackles for loss and two sacks in a shortened junior season due to COVID
• Registered 34 tackles, three TFLs and two sacks as a sophomore
• Competed in wrestling; two-time Trinity League heavyweight champion and helped team win the league title as a junior

Honors and Rankings
• Earned a 247Sports Composite ranking of four stars; the No. 347 overall player nationally, the No. 44 defensive lineman and the No. 28 player in the state of California
• Four-star prospect according to 247Sports; the No. 220 overall player in the nation, the No. 31 defensive lineman nationally and the No. 19 prospect in California
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN, the No. 70 defensive lineman in the country and the No. 69 prospect in the state of California
• Rivals.com four-star prospect, the No. 18 defensive lineman in the nation and the No. 18 player in California
• On3.com Composite ranking of four stars; rated as the 399th overall prospect in the country, the 48th defensive line recruit and the 29th-best player in California
• Rated as a three-star prospect according to On3.com; the No. 50 defensive lineman nationally and the No. 34 recruit in California
• L.A. Times high school football player of the year (2021)
• Selected Trinity League Most Valuable Lineman as a senior

Personal
• Mason Graham was born September 2, 2003
• Son of Allen and Kimberly Graham
• Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, majoring in General Studies

2022

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
2.5	1.0	24.0	0.0	1.0	2.5	11.0