The Cleveland Browns made a polarizing and somewhat risky bet when they took Mason Graham in the NFL Draft. Not only were they passing on Travis Hunter, the hottest prospect in the class, but they were using a top-five pick on a defensive tackle.
Fast forward to today, and the jury is still out on the Michigan product. He showed flashes of strong play as a rookie, especially against the run, but top-five picks come with steep expectations and bars to clear.
The Browns' offseason suggests they're still as high on Graham as ever. Otherwise, they likely would have added more proven competition along the interior defensive line.
However, as CBS Sports' Josh Edwards recently pointed out, that has put a huge weight on Graham's shoulders entering his second year as a pro.
"At defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. has yet to blossom and Maliek Collins is returning from injury. Mason Graham is the only known commodity," Edwards wrote.
Cleveland's defensive tackle depth leaves little room for error
The Browns signed Kalia Davis this offseason, but he's more likely to be a rotational piece than a steady contributor. Collins is the likely starter alongside Graham, and he's one of the most criminally underrated players in the game. But injuries are always a concern, and Collins did miss the final month of the 2025 season.
On paper, Collins and Graham should provide more than enough force up front along with edge defenders Jared Verse and Alex Wright, but paper doesn't win football games. Adin Huntington is a promising young player, but he may not be ready to handle heavy snaps at defensive tackle. Hall was a second-round pick in 2024, but may be running out of time to prove himself.
Graham plays one of the most important positions in football. Defensive tackles have to take a beating and deal with some of the strongest maulers in the game to shut down the running game. They're rarely talked about, though, unless they're also great at rushing the passer. Those guys are the true unicorns.
Graham has the potential to be one of those few exceptions, but he may not get there as early as Year 2.
Of course, that's the burden that comes with being the No. 5 pick, but not all careers are built equally. Some players and positions need more time to refine their game, and while the potential is undeniably there, putting that much on Graham's plate this early might do more harm than good.
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