Most years I like to take a stab at a mock NFL draft. Everybody else is doing it, so why not me? This draft should be particularly interesting for Michigan fans, because the program could set a school record with four (4!!!) first round picks in the form of Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Will Johnson, and Colston Loveland (in no particular order other than alphabetical).
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward – QB – Miami Why? He seems to be the consensus choice here, and Tennessee has all but announced the pick already.
2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter – CB/WR – Colorado Why? Cleveland needs a lot of help, but there are no quarterbacks worth taking here. Hunter fills a couple holes. Personally, I think he should be a cornerback and moonlight at wide receiver, because it’s easier to find good receivers than it is to find elite corners. It’s also tough to mostly be a wide receiver and then be ready for whatever a defense throws at you if you’re only a part-time cornerback. If you have special packages on offense, the offense gets to dictate how and when that package is used, instead of the other way around.
3. New York Giants: Abdul Carter – DE – Penn State Why? I actually don’t love this pick here because I don’t see it as a huge need for the Giants, but they get a chance to pick a player who some people think is the best player in the draft (or second best behind Hunter). In some ways, it could be a good “value” pick even though it’s still a top-three choice.
Michigan had nine players compete at (or at least show up to) the 2025 NFL combine. Here are the results for the participants:
RB Donovan Edwards
5’11”, 205 lbs.
30″ arms, 10″ hands
4.44 forty-yard dash
38.5″ vertical
23 bench press reps
DT Mason Graham
6’3 1/2″, 296 lbs.
32″ arms, 9 1/8″ hands
24 bench press reps
DT Kenneth Grant
6’4″, 331 lbs.
33 1/2″ arms, 10 1/8″ hands
22 bench press reps
OT Myles Hinton
6’7″, 323 lbs.
34 1/8″ arms, 10 1/4″ hands
31.5″ vertical jump
4.96-second 20-yard shuttle
CB Will Johnson
6’2″, 194 lbs.
30 1/8″ arms, 9 1/4″ hands
TE Colston Loveland
6’6″, 248 lbs.
32 3/4″ arms, 10″ hands
RB Kalel Mullings
6’1 1/2″, 226 lbs.
31 3/4″ arms, 10″ hands
DE Josaiah Stewart
6’1″, 249 lbs.
31 7/8″ arms, 9 1/2″ hands
LS William Wagner
No measurements publicly available
I was hoping to see more players participate in drills, but the growing trend is for players to wait for their pro days (or not work out at all). It would have been fun to see Kenneth Grant run the 40-yard dash and for Will Johnson to do a variety of drills, etc., but alas, we’re left to wonder.
Michigan did have running back Donovan Edwards test, and his results were pretty outstanding:
Donovan Edwards is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.60 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 78 out of 1909 RB from 1987 to 2025.
Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . C.J. Charleston. The Youngstown State transfer receiver only played 6 snaps on Saturday night, but I would like to see him play more. I think he’s more of a receiving threat than Peyton O’Leary, and while maybe there’s a small difference in run blocking, the receiving threat and big-play ability of Charleston is worth playing him more. Michigan needs better options in the passing game.
Name: Mason Graham Height: 6’3″ Weight: 320 lbs. High school: Anaheim (CA) Servite Position: Defensive tackle Class: Junior Jersey number: #55 Last year: I ranked Graham #9 and said he would be a starting nose tackle with 45 tackles and 4 sacks (LINK). He started thirteen games and made 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass breakup, and 3 quarterback hurries. TTB Rating: 84
Graham was expected to be a huge impact player in 2023, and he did not disappoint. He was voted by conference coaches as a First Team All-Big Ten player (yeah!), by Big Ten media types as a Third Team All-Big Ten player (huh?), and by other media as Second Team All-American. And he deserved all that hype and more. After getting a PFF grade of 80.3 as a freshman in 2022, he topped it by scoring a 90.0 as a sophomore in 2023.
Graham had a cast on his arm for a chunk of the season, and he was beating Minnesota linemen to death despite being one-armed at the time. Graham is extremely quick off the ball, has powerful hands, plays with great leverage, and has the explosiveness to finish plays that other guys come close to making. Along with Kenneth Grant, Michigan’s top defensive tackles are the best duo I remember in a Michigan uniform. There is no better tackle combo in the NCAA in 2024, at least.
This year could be Graham’s final season in a Michigan uniform. He has been talked about as a potential first round draft pick, and I wouldn’t blame him for jumping to the pros if he has another good season. The bar has already been set for all-conference and All-American accolades, so it might be hard to top that season. But Michigan has at least one season left (barring injury) to watch Graham and Grant manhandle opposing linemen. Let’s enjoy it while we can.
2023 Starters: OLB Jaylen Harrell, DT Mason Graham, DT Kris Jenkins, DE Braiden McGregor Losses: Reece Atteberry (transfer), Cam Goode (NFL), Harrell (NFL), McGregor (NFL) Returning players: Josaiah Stewart (Sr.), Kechaun Bennett (RS Jr.), Rayshaun Benny (RS Jr.), T.J. Guy (RS Jr.), Ike Iwunnah (RS Jr.), Tyler McLaurin (RS Jr.), Graham (Jr.), Grant (Jr.), Derrick Moore (Jr.), Alessandro Lorenzetti (RS So.), Breeon Ishmail (So.), Cameron Brandt (So.), Roderick Pierce (So.), Brooks Bahr (RS Fr.), Enow Etta (RS Fr.), Aymeric Koumba (RS Fr.) Newcomer: DE Dominic Nichols (Fr.) Projected starters: OLB Stewart, DT Graham, DT Grant, DE Moore
Michigan had an excellent defensive line in 2023, and it might have been the best position group on the national championship squad. The biggest differential in the national championship game against Washington was Michigan’s defensive line against the offensive line of the Huskies. Washington had a couple potential high draft picks in that group, and the Wolverines tossed them around like rag dolls.
Whereas Michigan had dynamic edge rushers in 2021 with David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson, the interior of the defensive line has been the strength the past two years. That should be the case once again in 2024, though I’m expecting a little more pass rush from the edge guys this season. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are entrenched as the starters at defensive tackle, and they should be the #1 defensive tackle combo in the nation. Grant is 6’3″ and 340 pounds but is fast enough to chase down Penn State running backs from behind. Graham is 6’4″, 310 and plays with both explosion and technique.
Michigan needs someone to emerge from the backup ranks, as starter Kris Jenkins, Jr. and frequently used backup Cam Goode have both moved on. Rayshaun Benny broke his foot late in the season, too, and will probably not be full strength until the fall. This spring look for Roderick Pierce to get some heavy rotation after playing a decent amount as the fourth nose tackle a year ago. Ike Iwunnah is a fourth-year player who has yet to see the field, so it’s tough to see him breaking out at this point, and Alessandro Lorenzetti is another player with decent size (6’5″, 301) who has yet to see the field. Michigan will either have to play one of those inexperienced older guys or give a shot to some young guys who really needed to bulk up from “strongside defensive end” vibes to playing tackle, such as Cameron Brandt or Brooks Bahr.
On the edges, Josaiah Stewart – who spent his first two seasons at Coastal Carolina – and Derrick Moore seem like very good bets to start. Stewart should step in capably for Harrell, and Moore should slide in smoothly for McGregor. They both rotated heavily last year and received a ton of playing time, and Stewart in particular showed a lot of growth throughout the year as he adjusted to playing in the Big Ten.
Once again, the big questions come from the backup ranks. Who will step up to rotate into the game frequently? And will anyone turn into an elite pass rusher? T.J. Guy is a fourth-year player with a good bit of experience, and he could be a solid backup option. He’s probably not a game-changer at this point, so the guys fans really want to see are the likes of Breeon Ishmail and Enow Etta. Both had excellent potential coming out of high school, and Etta was a highly valued recruit who was absolutely dominant in high school (20+ sacks in each of his final two seasons) but played against inferior competition.
Aymeric Koumba is a second-year Frenchman, and Dominic Nichols is an early enrollee freshman. Both have potential but it seems a little early for them to make much of an impact.
