We are days away from the Super Bowl and that means NFL Mock Draft season! One writer has Mason Graham as the first defensive player off the board. Check out where he goes in this week’s mock draft roundup:
The NFL season is down to its final game as Super Bowl LIX is at the forefront of the nation’s eyes this weekend. After that, every team will transition their focus to April’s NFL Draft . Until then, speculations will be made about every team’s selection as mock draft season begins.
With several Michigan Wolverines expecting to hear their names called, let’s evaluate where the experts have them heading before a Super Bowl champion is crowned.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein
- No. 5 overall – Jacksonville Jaguars – CB Will Johnson
“The Jaguars could address the defensive line here, but they have a major need at cornerback opposite Tyson Campbell . The Jags must get better on the back end if they are going to beat C.J. Stroudand the division-rival Texans.”
- No. 11 overall – San Francisco 49ers – DL Mason Graham
“The 49ers pride themselves on maintaining a high-caliber defensive front, and cracks along the interior can be spackled with the addition of Michigan’s high-energy DT.”
- No. 20 overall – Denver Broncos – TE Colston Loveland
“Building around Bo Nix should be the priority in Denver. Adding an athletic pass catcher with good size like Loveland could be high on the Broncos’ list of priorities.”
- No. 22 overall – Los Angeles Chargers – DT Kenneth Grant
“The Chargers could go in a variety of directions here, but the trenches will likely get Jim Harbaugh’s attention. Grant is a big, athletic player who was recruited to Michigan by Harbaugh.”
ESPN’s Matt Miller (2-round)
- No. 4 overall – New England Patriots – DL Mason Graham
“New coach Mike Vrabel will want to fortify the offensive line in front of second-year quarterback Drake Maye, but the Patriots can do a lot of that work in free agency with nearly $92 million in cap space, according to Roster Management System. LSU tackle Will Campbell is an option if New England isn’t satisfied with its free agent haul. But I wonder if Vrabel might use this pick to find a defensive cornerstone like he had in Tennessee with Jeffery Simmons.
Graham is a fiery, active interior pass rusher with great technique and the burst needed to be a difference-maker at the 3-technique. Graham, third-year defensive end Keion White and standout interior lineman Christian Barmore (currently out because of blood clots) would be a nice starting point for Vrabel and his new defense.”
- No. 5 overall – Jacksonville Jaguars – CB Will Johnson
“While new coach Liam Coen has an offensive background and might want to beef up the O-line or add another pass catcher, Jacksonville has to find some defensive playmakers. It forced an NFL-worst nine turnovers in 2024, making Johnson — who had two pick-sixes this past season — the right selection here. He could line up opposite Tyson Campbell.
Scouts are all over the board with Johnson, though. Some think he’s a lock as a top-five pick. Other are worried about his missed tackles, his questionable speed and the foot injury that limited him to six games this past season. He needs to run well at the combine, but I think he will — and then solidify his stock in the top 10.”
- No. 20 overall – Denver Broncos – TE Colston Loveland
“Loveland is one of my favorite players in the entire class; he’d give coach Sean Payton and quarterback Bo Nix another target in the passing game to complement receiver Courtland Sutton. Loveland, who battled through injuries in 2024, can line up all over the formation but is at his best as a flex tight end. He ran the full route tree at Michigan and has the grace of a wide receiver at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds.
The Broncos are a team in transition as the front office starts adding more playmakers around Nix. Finding him a young safety valve to grow with is the best roster-building move and would open up the middle of the field in the passing game.”
- No. 32 overall – Kansas City Chiefs – DT Kenneth Grant
“Three-peat or not — and I’m predicting one here — this roster has some holes and question marks moving forward. Wide receiver remains a concern. Tight end and right guard could become priority areas if Travis Kelce retires and/or Trey Smith leaves in free agency. But the defense has long needed a running mate for Chris Jones at defensive tackle.
Grant is a massive prospect at 342 pounds but has the athletic tools to crash gaps and penetrate the backfield. Plugging Grant between Jones and George Karlaftis would automatically divert attention and give them more room to operate. Grant’s impact would also be felt immediately in the run game, where he can keep the Chiefs’ linebackers much cleaner from interior blockers.”
CBS Sport’s Ryan Wilson
- No. 2 overall – Cleveland Browns – DL Mason Graham
“My comp for Mason Graham over the summer was Christian Wilkins. My co-host on the “With the First Pick” podcast, Rick Spielman, took it a step further and said Quinnen Williams . Wherever you land, Graham is a special talent who headlines a deep defensive line class.”
- No. 9 overall – New Orleans Saints – CB Will Johnson
“Johnson was my No. 1 player over the summer and he remains a top-10 talent. He battled a toe injury that sidelined him for much of the second half of the 2024 season, but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best defenders in college football; there’s a reason the easy comp for him is Patrick Surtain.”
- No. 17 overall – Cincinnati Bengals – TE Colston Loveland
“Loveland is listed at 6-5, 237 pounds, and while he runs like he’s 185, he plays like he’s 260. He’ll run through open-field arm tackles all day long, he has an enormous catch radius and he’s a precise route runner, looking like a receiver at times in his movement skills. He’s a willing blocker, but like most pass-catching tight ends coming into the league, he’ll need to improve in this area.”
- No. 25 overall – Houston Texans – DT Kenneth Grant
“Grant is a really good athlete for his size — and he has a knack for getting his hands up in the passing lane and knocking the ball down. He has a surprisingly quick first step, and uses his hands well to shoot gaps and be a disruptive presence in backfield. For me, he’s more explosive and consistent than Kris Jenkins, his former teammate and Bengals 2nd-rounder in ‘24.”
PFF’s Mason Cameron
- No. 5 overall – Jacksonville Jaguars – DT Mason Graham
“Despite having quality edge rushers in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, the Jaguars struggled to generate pressure in 2024, posting the seventh-lowest pressure rate (30.8%) in the NFL. The primary issue was the interior, where Jacksonville’s defensive tackles recorded a league-worst 8.9% pass-rush win rate.
Graham would provide an immediate impact. Since the start of 2023, he has posted elite marks in the stable metrics for interior defenders, ranking in the 96th percentile or better in pass-rush grade against true pass sets and run-stop percentage.”
- No. 7 overall – New York Jets – CB Will Johnson
“With Aaron Glenn now leading the Jets, Gang Green’s defensive identity isn’t going anywhere. In Detroit, Glenn deployed the highest rate of Cover 1 in 2024, emphasizing cornerbacks who excel in man coverage.
Johnson’s combination of size and understanding of leverage made him highly effective in those situations. He earned a 90.8 PFF grade in man coverage in 2022 and 2023 before battling injuries in 2024.
With D.J. Reed set to hit free agency, finding a cornerback to pair with Sauce Gardner will be a top priority for New York.”
- No. 17 overall – Cincinnati Bengals – DT Kenneth Grant
“With B.J. Hill’s contract expiring, the Bengals face a significant void on the interior defensive line. Even with Hill, Cincinnati struggled mightily up front in 2024, ranking 31st in pass-rush win rate from the interior and featuring just one defensive tackle — Hill himself — who earned a run-defense grade above 54.0.
Adding Grant to the interior would be a much-needed solution, immediately upgrading both the pass rush and run defense for a unit needing reinforcements.”
- No. 22 overall – Los Angeles Chargers – TE Colston Loveland
“Like their division rivals in Denver, the Chargers need more playmakers—beyond Ladd McConkey—to step up and provide Justin Herbert with reliable targets.
Colston Loveland took his game to another level in 2024, earning a career-best 90.6 receiving grade, highlighting his natural pass-catching ability and refined route-running. Having already won a national championship together at Michigan, a Loveland-Jim Harbaugh reunion in Los Angeles would be a low-risk, high-upside move for the Chargers offense.”
WalterFootball
- No. 5 overall – Jacksonville Jaguars – CB Will Johnson
“The Jaguars lost out on the chance to land Travis Hunter (mocked No. 3 to the Giants) with their win over the Titans. Perhaps they’ll still land a cornerback to help their dreadful secondary. They could even trade down to do so. Will Johnson, who had a tremendous showing during the championship run, has a plus skill set and upside.”
- No. 8 overall – Carolina Panthers – DT Mason Graham
“Bryce Young improved late in the season, so the Panthers might give him another year. If so, they could use this pick to replace Brian Burns or strengthen the interior of their defensive line. Mason Graham is a relentless player with a non-stop motor.”
- No. 22 overall – Los Angeles Chargers – DT Kenneth Grant
“The Chargers have great edge rushers, but they’re soft in the middle of their defensive line. Kenneth Grant has flashed upside and is considered an underrated talent.”