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<\/p>\nCLEVELAND, Ohio \u2014 Mason Graham raised some eyebrows during the NFL Combine two months ago, but not for the reasons you would expect from the top defensive tackle in a draft class. <\/p>\n
During the measurement phase of the week, Graham weighed in at 296 \u2014 a whole 24 pounds lighter than his playing days at Michigan.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, it didn\u2019t faze the Cleveland Browns, who chose Graham with the No. 5 overall pick last week in the 2025 NFL Draft. <\/p>\n
It also was a number that Graham himself wasn\u2019t too bothered by, given the circumstances of that week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was like 304 when I arrived at the Combine and that kind of week took a toll on me,\u201d Graham said. \u201cI was in medical from 10 (a.m.) to 7:30 p.m., I missed some of my formal visits, but I feel like the weight\u2019s not an issue. I\u2019m 310 right now, I feel really good and kind of ready to go just right into rookie minicamp.\u201d<\/p>\n
In short in proved to be a non-controversy controversy, inspiring plenty of headlines at the time about one of the top defensive prospects in the class. <\/p>\n
But weight fluctuations like that one are no big deal to Graham, who was also a state champion wrestler in high school. He joined the wrestling team as a freshman, and went on to win two heavyweight championships in Southern California\u2019s Trinity League conference. <\/p>\n
Had he not gone the football route, he could have been a high-profile wrestling recruit \u2014 the Cal and Stanford wrestling programs inquired about him, and Colorado-Mesa even asked him to both play football and wrestle. <\/p>\n
Graham was an all-around athlete growing up, playing basketball, rugby and throwing in track. <\/p>\n
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Cleveland Browns number one draft pick DT Mason Graham in Berea, April 25, 2025<\/p>\n
But his wrestling background in particular is what has impacted his style as a D-lineman so much, especially when you consider his leverage is the one trait analysts have brought up repeatedly throughout the pre-draft process.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the main things are just leverage, just feeling body weight and especially on the offense and defensive lines, that\u2019s what happens all game,\u201d Graham said. \u201cIt\u2019s a battle, short amount of space and you\u2019re basically wrestling other guys. So I feel like it translates really well, and that\u2019s why I kind of wanted to do that and I think it also helps with and physical toughness as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Graham\u2019s metrics came in from the combine, most analysts expected that the weight drop wouldn\u2019t impact his draft stock too much, despite being newsworthy. <\/p>\n
His Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale (who served as the Baltimore Ravens DC from 2018-21) offered a counterpoint at the time as well. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have to defend anything with Mason, because his tape defends what Mason can do,\u201d Martindale told Michigan beat writers. \u201cYou get in these situations, and I\u2019m speaking now as a guy with experience in the NFL \u2014 they\u2019re doing medical examinations, they\u2019re doing all these different things \u2014 medical, mental, all these different meetings and everything else \u2014 I know for a fact that a lot of guys don\u2019t have time to eat.” <\/p>\n
For the Browns, that number obviously didn\u2019t mean much.<\/p>\n
Both GM Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski talked at length throughout the weekend about seeing how disruptive Graham can be on tape. <\/p>\n
In 39 games over three years at Michigan, he collected nine sacks and 17 tackles for loss, including 6.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a DNA match for our defense,\u201d Berry said Thursday night after the Browns selected Graham. \u201cDisruptive, interior penetrator. I think he can really affect the pocket from inside, high-motor player, really physical, really tough. We thought he was one of the more dominant trench prospects in this year\u2019s class.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Graham, coordinator Jim Schwartz\u2019s defense will be a bit of a different style in terms of the freedom interior guys have to get after opposing QBs.<\/p>\n
Graham seems up to the challenge. <\/p>\n
\u201c(Schwartz) has been talking about just taking the handcuffs off me,\u201d Graham said. \u201cI\u2019m used to playing blocks now, but getting more off the ball and more attacking and causing more negative plays for the offenses, and I feel like I can fit right into the scheme.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thankfully for both parties, those combine concerns didn\u2019t carry much weight. <\/p>\n