by Justin Melo
2025 NFL Draft
Mason Graham's 3 Best NFL Draft Fits
Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham officially announced his intention to enter the 2025 NFL Draft on Tuesday. One of the most dominant prospects in the draft, Graham projects as a potential top-10 selection. The Anaheim, California native has recorded 46 tackles and 3.5 sacks this season.
Graham possesses a three-down skill set as a disruptive interior defensive lineman. Teams searching for better backfield penetration will emphasize exiting the first round with Graham. He carries the potential to pressure and wreck the opposing offense’s game plans.
With Graham officially having declared for the draft, we've identified three potential team fits.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars upset the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, sliding down to fifth overall in the current draft order. That momentarily takes the Jaguars out of the Travis Hunter sweepstakes. They're obviously not drafting a quarterback, either. A dominant interior lineman like Graham would transform this defense for a good defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who's been hamstrung by lackluster personnel this season.
Jacksonville ranks 28th in sacks with just 25 QB takedowns. They rank dead last in pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR) at just 26%, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen are long-term pieces at EDGE, but upgrades are especially required at defensive tackle. Roy Robertson-Harris leads the position group in sacks with two. Maason Smith is a good start, but adding a true difference-maker like Graham would elevate things across the front seven.
Cincinnati Bengals
It's difficult to capture in words what has gone so horribly wrong with the Cincinnati Bengals defense this season. It looks nothing like a Lou Anarumo defense. Coach Anarumo is a veteran coordinator with a reputation for fielding disciplined, hard-nosed units. This iteration of the Bengals hasn't inherited that identity. They're currently allowing a fourth-worst 27.7 points per game.
One of the offseason developments that negatively impacted this defense was the departure of D.J. Reader, who signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Detroit Lions. The Bengals are soft up the middle and desperately need to revamp the defensive line. The aging duo of Sheldon Rankins and B.J. Hill aren't quite meeting expectations. Pairing Graham with Trey Hendrickson up front would get things trending back in the right direction.
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are another defense that lost a keynote defensive tackle in free agency last summer and didn't appropriately replace him. General manager Chris Grier couldn't afford to retain Christian Wilkins, who inked a mega $110 contract over five years with the Las Vegas Raiders. Zach Sieler leads the team in sacks with six, and the ageless Calais Campbell isn't far behind with four QB takedowns of his own.
The future of the EDGE position is in great hands with Chop Robinson, Bradley Chubb, and Jaelan Phillips. Adding Graham as the real long-term replacement for Wilkins would be greatly appreciated by first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Graham would help the Dolphins field one of the more terrifying defensive lines in the league next season.