Five thoughts for five Michigan Wolverines at the 2025 NFL Combine

The 2025 NFL Combine kicks off in three days, bringing top prospects to Indianapolis for four days of intense testing and evaluations. Here are five thoughts for five Michigan Wolverines looking to impress scouts later this week:

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Michigan NFL Combine Primer

The 2025 NFL Combine starts in three days. Hundreds of players from across the country will flock to Indianapolis for four days of tests, evaluations and interviews. A glorified physical, the NFL Combine has grown into one of the most influential weekends of the year for aspiring pros. It is also the only weekend where discussing another man’s hand size is widely accepted.

Nine Wolverines will be in attendance this year — defensive tackle Mason Graham, cornerback Will Johnson, running back Kalel Mullings, defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, edge rusher Josaiah Stewart, running back Donovan Edwards, offensive tackle Myles Hinton and long snapper William Wagner. Although the volume of Wolverines is down relative to 2024, this year’s top-end talent is better. Four Wolverines are currently projected as first-round picks and all four could sneak inside the first 20 picks.

But as we inch closer to April 24, paralysis by analysis is going to set in. Players are going to rise and fall as pundits dig their heels in, narratives and stigmas will form, and everything will culminate in “I guess we’ll see.” The draft cycle is shifting into overdrive this weekend and here are a few thoughts and predictions for five Wolverines heading to Indianapolis.

RB WR Donovan Edwards

This is the best running back class since 2017 and could be the best class ever. Beyond All-Universe first-round lock Ashton Jeanty, this class is loaded with talent that could push the former NCAA Football cover athlete into a Day 3 selection unless he changes his public perception at the combine.

After Jeanty, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Ohio State ’s TreVeyon Henderson and Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson have all generated late-first-round buzz early in the process. But the strength of this class is the robust middle class. Players such as Georgia’s Trevor Etienne, South Florida’s R.J. Harvey, Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson and Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins could all spark a run at the position on Day 2 where the true value lies.

A run which would include players such as Arizona’s Cam Skattebo, Michigan’s Kalel Mullings, Kansas’s Devin Neal, Oregon’s Jordan James, Syracuse’s Laquint Allen, Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon, Kansas State ’s D.J. Giddens, Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks, SMU’s Brashard Smith, USC’s Woody Marks, Miami’s Damien Martinez, Auburn’s Jarquez Hunter, Delaware’s Marcus Yarns, Virginia Tech ’s Bhayshul Tuten, and Texas’ Jayden Blue.

The mileage varies on these backs from team to team, but there is no arguing the depth. So where does this leave Edwards? For now, Edwards is in the thick of it — likely a sixth- or seventh-rounder falling to a heavy zone-running team ultimately betting on his upside. However, a position switch, even in name alone, could propel him into an earlier round by shifting the way teams view him at the next level.

A positional switch for Edwards is about perception. With the right packaging, Edwards could sell his abilities as the next Deebo Samuel instead of the poorest man’s Le’Veon Bell. He would still play running back, but he could split his time at both positions and increase his value through a rebranded versatility. It’s not like he hasn’t flashed his ability as a pass catcher before. In 2021, Edwards put the entire country on notice with a 10-catch, 170-yard performance against Maryland. Although he never reached those heights again, he’s not lacking in confidence. Ahead of the 2023 season, Edwards spoke about his versatility.

“I’m the best dual-threat running back,” he said . “I’ll catch a ball 50 yards down the field, over the shoulder. I’d be the best slot receiver in the country if I was really mastering that craft, which I am this year.”

Edwards is still striving for mastery, but so is this wide receiver class, which is one of the weakest in recent memory. NFL teams will be required to take leaps of faith with pass catchers earlier than normal, so why not take one with a dual-threat offensive weapon with untapped potential? I guess we’ll see.

The Contrarians Are Coming

The contrarians are coming! The contrarians are coming! If only I could light two lamps to signal bad takes were coming like a ball-knowing Paul Revere. However, consider this your warning.

Mason Graham’s draft stock is going to suffer at the combine. Graham is going to measure in with short arms and his body will be picked apart for appearing out of shape (his nickname wasn’t Peter Griffin for nothing). Prepare yourself now for a handful of pundits overreacting with updated mock drafts by flip-flopping Graham for Ole Miss ’ Walter Nolen, or true rage baiters and zag artists flipping Graham with teammate Kenneth Grant. This will drum up draft-day drama, create headlines, and spark debates — for now.

Once the in-the-moment narratives cool off and Graham’s tape is revisited, he is again going to be projected as a unanimous top-five draft pick. Graham’s tape is arguably the cleanest of any prospect making him one of the safest picks in the entire draft. NFL teams need Graham to stop the run and collapse pockets, not look good in a Speedo, or reach things from the top shelf. The barbarians will be a the gate for a few days in Indy, but body positivity — or body indifference — will ultimately swing in Graham’s favor.

No. 3 Freak = No. 2 DT

NFL evaluators love traits. Traits are one of the biggest indicators of success as teams filter top current players in given production to find a trait-based common denominator. For example, three of the five sack leaders in the NFL last year all weighed over 260 pounds and four weighed 255 pounds or more. Specific traits can help teams identify trends, break ties with specific player tape evaluations, and organize draft boards accordingly. There will be several all-star traits candidates in Indianapolis, but perhaps none more so than Kenneth Grant.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 339 pounds, Grant is expected to test exceptionally well. In most mock drafts, he is fluctuating in the middle of the first round as the fourth or fifth defensive tackle in a loaded D-line class. After this weekend, expect Grant and his physical traits to rocket squarely into the DT-2 conversation alongside Walter Nolen.

Scouts have been salivating at an opportunity to thoroughly evaluate Grant’s athletic ability since he chased down Kaytron Allen in 2023.

Coupling that feat with weight room lore, it was no surprise Grant was the No. 3 freak by Bruce Feldman ahead of last season: “The Wolverines have produced more freak defensive linemen in the last half-dozen years than anyone, from Rashan Gary (first-rounder), Kwity Paye (first-rounder), Aidan Hutchinson (first-rounder) and Mazi Smith (first-rounder) to Kris Jenkins (second-rounder). The 6-3, 350-pound Grant is the biggest of all of them.”

Race Against the Clock

What’s the fastest you have ever lost 20 bucks? Was it an impulsive live bet that “couldn’t lose?” Or was it a quick stop at the blackjack table that was at least salvaged by the free drink? Most of us have lost a couple dollars faster than we’d care to admit, but at least our few seconds of failure were only seen by a select audience.

Will Johnson has a chance to earn or lose millions of dollars this weekend in less than half a second in front of millions of viewers.

In the NFL Draft , each pick a player falls in the first round is roughly $1-2 million off their yearly contract. Caleb Williams signed a four-year contract worth $39.49 million annually, while No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels signed for four years, $37.75 million annually. Trickling all the way down to pick No. 32, wide receiver Xavier Legette signed a four-year, $12.36 million as the final first round pick.

Johnson’s draft stock has already taken a hit with evaluators tearing apart this 2024 tape, questioning his physicality, durability and top-end speed. Most recently, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Johnson outside the top-10 picks , and most mock drafts see him slipping similarly. While Johnson can’t prove his toughness this weekend, he can salvage a few million with a solid 40-yard dash.

The 40-yard dash is not the end-all-be-all for any player, but it weighs heavily for corners who will have to keep pace with absolute burners at the next level. For Johnson, if he just runs in the 4.4s, he will stop the slide and sure-up the leak in his bank account. Conversely, if he runs 4.50 or slower, the slide could continue as others leap him during the weekend.

Provided a 40-yard dash takes an elite player around 20 strides to complete and last year’s 10th overall pick — J.J. McCarthy — signed for $21.85 million annually, with almost every stride he takes, Johnson will be gaining or losing millions of dollars. No pressure.

Gronk vs. Kelce

Who is the best tight end of all time, Rob Gronkowski or Travis Kelce? (Apologies to the Tony Gonzalez stans.) Gronkowski was a devastating blocker and physically dominating pass catcher whose sheer size made him a four-time All-Pro, four-time Super Bowl champion and one of the most impactful all-around offensive forces of his generation.

Although Kelce has entered the twilight of his career, his longevity is another feather in the cap of an illustrious career. At his peak, Kelce was an uncoverable, route-running savant who produced seven 1,000-yard seasons — tied with the likes of Andre Johnson, Antonio Brown, Calvin Johnson, and DeAndre Hopkins — and a walking mismatch for any defender. He is a four-time All-Pro, three-time Super Bowl champion and the most consistent tight end of his generation.

An apples vs. oranges conversation at its core, and one that is going to be revisited for the 2025 class between Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland. Warren is an offensive tidal wave whose pronouns are most accurately “(BALL/PLAYER).” Loveland is a smoooooth-operating, X-factor pass catcher — a natural in the purest sense who speaks English but is more fluent in football.

For now, Warren is projected to go ahead of Loveland, but both could be selected in the top-15. Specific team needs will factor into this positional race more than any other due to their starkly different traits and skillsets. The combine will add a new layer of intrigue as they are compared in every drill every step of the way. Let’s just hope this battle lives up to the billing this weekend and comes down to more than hand size.

Happy NFL Combine week, everyone!