Taking a defensive tackle with a top-five pick will always be a polarizing subject. The nature of the position leads some to argue that they're not as impactful, but that didn't stop the Cleveland Browns from setting their sights on Mason Graham in 2025.
Graham wreaked havoc in three seasons with the Michigan Wolverines, anchoring the interior of their defensive line and showing promise as a pass rusher. However, he finished his rookie season in Cleveland with just a half-sack in 17 games.
As underwhelming as that might seem, Graham believes he was also a victim of circumstances. Talking about his second season, the former Wolverine hinted at having more opportunities now that Myles Garrett is no longer rushing off the edge.
“I think I missed three sacks,” Graham told Browns insider Scott Petrak about the second Ravens game. “They funneled to Myles. I always say that it went to a good cause at the end of the day.”
Mason Graham might be ready to take a major production leap
This isn't the first time a Browns defender has suggested something similar. Years ago, Jadeveon Clowney accused the Browns of focusing more on Garrett's stats than winning football games, and while Garrett's pass-rushing prowess is unmatched, that's a fair point to a degree.
Garrett's departure seemed to be a much bigger deal outside of Berea than inside the Browns' locker room. Of course, some guys gave him his flowers as an all-time player, but they all sounded eager to play alongside Jared Verse, including Graham:
“Myles is good at what he does. He’s going to do what he does. At the end of the day, he’s going to have more than 20 sacks probably again this year,” Graham said. “But we got Jared now. I feel like he’s just going to help the D-line as a whole. Everyone’s going to be rushing together, just working more together and just kind of doing our thing.”
Graham showed his stout run defense as a rookie. His 32 run stops ranked 13th at the position, according to Pro Football Focus, bolstering a Browns' run defense that gave up 4.2 yards per carry.
Now, it's all about getting to the quarterback. His overall production wasn't too bad despite the lack of sacks, logging 49 tackles, 36 total pressures, seven tackles for loss, four passes defensed, four quarterback hits, and two batted passes in 447 pass-rush snaps.
Despite regularly facing double-teams and chip blocks, Graham registered nine sacks over his three-year collegiate career. That production should translate to the pros, with more opportunities to move off the ball and into the backfield.
Of course, this isn't to say that the Browns are a better team without Garrett, but sometimes teams must take a step back to take a big leap forward. The Browns will have to get creative, move pieces around, and create mismatches to put Graham and Verse in positions to succeed, and favorable matchups will inevitably lead to more production.
Graham has reportedly been impossible to block during training camp. His get-off speed seems quicker, and he seems to have a big chip on his shoulder after an up-and-down rookie season. As the No. 5 overall pick, he still has some big expectations to live up to, but he sounds more than up to the challenge.
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