The Cleveland Browns took a big swing when they agreed to trade down from No. 2 to No. 5. Then again, even though losing a potentially generational talent like Travis Hunter was a big blow, the haul was just too good to turn down. More than that, they would still have a chance to land a potential superstar in Mason Graham.
Granted, not many fans love the idea of taking a defensive tackle as high as No. 5. Still, the Michigan product's combination of fine technique and raw power was just mesmerizing. And, even though he got off to a somewhat slow start to his career, he closed out the season on a high note.
He got better as the year went by, especially as a pass rusher. To put that in context, NFL writer Pete Smith of The OBR took to social media to show how much of a turnaround he made in the final stretch of the campaign.
Mason Graham's numbers were quietly impressive
"Mason Graham ended up finishing second on the #Browns in pressures for the season with 36. 23 of those came in the last 9 games," Smith wrote on X.
Graham's Pro Football Focus grade (68.7) isn't necessarily impressive. He ranked 30th out of 134 eligible defensive linemen. However, his 36 pressures ranked 22nd in the league, so the potential is most definitely there.
Assessing a defensive tackle's performance by stats alone is a tricky and inaccurate endeavor. To the naked eye, logging just 0.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, and four QB hits isn't in line with what one would expect from the No. 5 pick.
Graham's impact, however, went far beyond his stats. It's not much of a coincidence to see that Myles Garrett just posted the best numbers of his career, including a record-setting 23.0 sacks, in his first year next to Graham.
He was instrumental in shutting down the interior of the defense and helping Jim Schwartz's unit give up the sixth-fewest total yards per game (305.8). Even if he didn't get to the quarterback often, he drew too much attention at the line of scrimmage, leaving Garrett more free and with a clearer look at the signal-caller.
Defesnive tackle play isn't always sexy or flashy, and the numbers will rarely pop up. Still, Graham has the potential to be one of this team's defensive anchors for years to come. He's a quick learner and a physical force, and he's just getting started.