Scouting Report: Intro to Michigan DT Mason Graham

Mason Graham's scouting report

Position: Defensive Tackle

College: Michigan

Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 296 lbs.

The Jacksonville Jaguars hired an offensive-minded head coach in Liam Coen to bolster the production of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the offense, but their defense will need to drastically improve as well. For that reason, taking a defensive player in the first round of next week’s draft isn’t off the table.

The prospect who has been mocked to them most frequently without a doubt has been Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, who was a force for the Wolverines the last three seasons. Of course, his most impressive season was last season as he was named a first team All-American as a junior. He led the Wolverines’ defensive line group in tackles with 45 and also registered 3.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss.

Overall, Graham started in 12 games for Michigan during his final season, while registering 27 appearances through his sophomore and freshman seasons. With 107 total career tackles, nine sacks, and 17 tackles to his name overall, Graham is leaving his career with the Wolverines with several accolades. Among them were two All-Big Ten selections (2024-24) and a Rose Bowl Defensive MVP title. Many believe he proved to be pro-ready in the process and envision him translating well to the NFL.

How would Graham’s addition impact the Jags?

When looking at the Jags’ history, they’ve had some dominant tone setters at the defensive tackle position, but 2024 was not one of those years. They struggled as a result (and for many other reasons) and finished the season 26th in points allowed per game and 25th in yards allowed per game. Clearly, this is an issue the new regime will look to fix although former executive Trent Baalke tried and failed due to differences with the coaching staff.

The Jags will enter 2025 with a new defensive coordinator in former Green Bay Packers assistant Anthony Campanile. He’ll be coming from a group that was one of the best in the league defensively, ranking eighth in points allowed per game (26.1 point average) and seventh in yards allowed per game (366.7 yard average). Undoubtedly, he’ll be open to making some upgrades at defensive tackle and the Jags have a good chance to land the top one in the 2025 draft class in Graham.

Campanile has had his hands in multiple schemes throughout his time in the NFL, learning under coordinators Vic Fangio, Brian Flores, and Jeff Harley, so time will tell what kind of scheme he will bring to Jacksonville. However, if they drafted Graham, it seems he’d best thrive as a three-technique in the league and his quickness on the inside would be a welcome addition with players like Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker on the outside.

Strengths/Pros

• Hands and upper body mechanics are solid. While his arms a shorter, he consistently shows his ability to punch and extend against opponents

• Wrestling background has given him a clear understanding of how to win leverage battles

• Gap penetration quickness is a handful to deal with

• Has great agility for his playing weight. This especially shows when performing stunts and twists

• Has a relentless motor that takes a toll on opponents

• Versatile and has played in various spots up front

Weaknesses/Cons

• Doesn’t have the arm length or frame of an elite prospect

• While he will likely add weight, he weighed in at 296 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine

• Was overpowered at times when taking on double teams

• Hasn’t established a bread and butter move as a pass rusher

• Pad level can be inconsistent

• At times it takes a great deal of effort for him to shred blocks

Highlights of his strengths