Cleveland ends up with a great player and a draft-pick haul from trading back to No. 5 with the Jaguars
The Browns traded back from No. 2 with the Jaguars, who gave up a haul to move up and select Travis Hunter, the two-way standout from Colorado. And the Browns walked away with an excellent addition to their defensive line, Mason Graham out of Michigan.
Stats & Accolades
- 2022: Played in 14 games (27 tackles, 2.5 sacks, PBU).
- 2023: Started 13 games (36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks). First-Team All-Big Ten. Rose Bowl Defensive MVP. Won CFB National Championship.
- 2024: Started 12 games (45 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks). First-Team Associated Press All-American. First-Team All-Big Ten. Finalist for Bednarik Award (nation’s top defender) and Outland Trophy (nation’s top OL/DL).
What the Browns are getting:
Mason Graham is a one-man wrecking ball along the defensive line. He’s a thickly built, stocky player who likes to take the fight to offensive lineman sooner than they want thanks to an elite get-off. His lack of length will surely show up at times, but that hasn’t stopped past short-limbed defenders from making a long and lasting impact in the NFL. Graham wins with a nonstop motor that can take him from one side of the formation to the other with natural instincts that help him dissect plays and react with little-to-no pause. While the sack production isn’t all that ideal, Graham will immediately impact a team’s front seven, whether that’s by creating havoc of his own or taking the attention away from someone else.
Strengths
- The whole package for an impact interior defender
- Creates havoc that throws off offenses in a number of ways that don’t always show up in the stat sheet
- Ability to line up anywhere up front to create chaos, even as a stand-up rusher
- Prefers to bring the fight to blockers before they’re ready
- Wrestling background is apparent in his ability to torque and throw blockers out of his way
- Will be a matchup exploiter for a defensive coordinator who wants to hunt an opposing team’s worst interior lineman
Weaknesses
- Sack production lacking based on overall disruption
- Can give up too much ground against double-teams
- Bull-rush is lacking compared to rest of pass-rush toolbox
- Lacks ideal length for the modern interior lineman
Athletic Testing
- Height: 6’3
- Weight: 306 pounds
- 40-yard dash: N/A
- 10-yard split: N/A
- Vertical jump: N/A
- Broad jump: N/A
- 3-cone drill: N/A
- Short shuttle: N/A
- Bench Press: N/A