Those who have watched Michigan football, especially for the past two years, know just how good defensive tackle Mason Graham is. In fact, his former coach, Jim Harbaugh, spoke about him being “a gift from the football gods” in 2022. Yet, there are many football fans confused about why the Cleveland Browns traded out of the No. 2 spot to No. 5, thus missing out on Travis Hunter, but bringing in Graham.
After the pick, Browns general manager Andrew Berry spoke to the media about why the franchise traded back and what makes Graham special in his eyes.
“He is a DNA match for our defense,” Berry said. “A disruptive interior penetrator that will affect the pocket from inside. High-motor player, physical, really tough. We thought he was one of the more dominant trench prospects in this year’s class.
I’ll address obviously the trade. It just felt like it was a fantastic opportunity for our organization. To move down three spots, still get a top-notch prospect in the trenches. Adding a pick in what we really view as the sweet spot of this year’s draft class and then adding a first-round pick next year in a class that, quite frankly, we thought would be stronger in the first 30 picks. Something over the short-term and multiyear horizon, it was a fit for what we wanted to do with the roster. We’re excited to add Mason. We’re excited to add extra draft resources for this year and next.”
Browns senior personnel Bob Quinn has been often spotted in Ann Arbor checking out the Wolverines, so it stands to reason he’s seen quite a bit of what Graham is capable of.
The interesting thing, however, is how Ohio State fans in Cleveland will react to having a prominent Wolverine on their roster, especially in the aftermath of The Game this past season.
