It’s hard to argue that defense is the Carolina Panthers' priority as Dan Morgan looks to attack this offseason. After fixing the offensive line in 2024, the general manager will look to revamp a defensive front that was like a leaky tap throughout the season.
Many experts expect Carolina to go defense with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Mason Graham would be the dream player to fall into the Panthers' lap.
A season ago, the Carolina defensive line was far and away the worst unit in the league. Outside of A'Shawn Robinson, who is league average, it was a motley crew of practice and XFL-caliber players. While the opening-day loss of Derrick Brown to a season-ending knee injury was a blow, the 3-4 front was not good enough regardless.
Just looking at the stats tells a sorry tale. The Panthers gave up almost 180 rushing yards a game, and a miserable eight contests allowing over 200 yards on the ground. Expect Carolina to invest heavily in both free agency and the draft.
In this scouting report, we’ll discuss how the former Michigan stud can help this team.
Mason Graham 2025 Scouting Report
Notes
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Weight: 296 pounds
- Recruitment: 4-star prospect
Positives
- Good motor
- Lateral quickness
- Powerful hands
- Exceptional run defender
Graham made an immediate impact as a freshman, tallying 27 tackles 2.5 sacks, and a pass breakup as a backup. As a starter in 2023, he stepped up as part of the elite Michigan defense that won a national championship with 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
He was also first-team All-Big Ten Conference and the Rose Bowl Defensive MVP. Graham was a class above despite Michigan suffering a lull in 2024, securing first-team All-American honors, and first-team All-Big Ten, as well as being named a finalist for both the Bednarik Award (nation’s top defender) and the Outland Trophy (nation’s top OL/DL).
Graham’s strength comes in his explosive first step. One look at his tape and the way he shoots out his stance flies off the screen. An elite high-school wrestler, this is shown in the California native's violent hands and his excellent leverage at the point of attack. For someone likely to play 300-plus pounds in the NFL, the prospect displays exceptional lateral quickness.
While Graham will need to add to his pass rush arsenal to become one of the elite players at the next level, all the fundamentals are there for him to be an immediate game-wrecker in the NFL.
Negatives
- Weighed in lighter than expected at 296lbs
- A stout build allows wider linemen to gain leverage
- Relies too heavily on the bull rush in pass-rush sets
- Shorter arms
Graham surprised many at the NFL Scouting Combine when he weighed in at 296 pounds, almost 25 lighter than his playing weight during his time in Ann Arbor. But according to ESPN’s Jordan Reid, scouts were not fazed by the drop.
One look at Graham and you can see he is more of a stoutly built player. He has a tendency to struggle to disengage when longer-armed tackles latch onto his frame, something he’ll have to improve.
Graham’s arms came in at just 32 inches at the combine, which was in the 26th percentile compared to previous defensive tackles. This means despite his speed and violent hands, if longer-armed tackled are allowed to establish the first point of contact on the player, he struggles to have an impact.
Teams will be looking at Graham to improve his pass-rushing skills when he reaches the next level. He relies too heavily on his bull rush to get at the quarterback. While the strength possessed from the former Michigan man's wrestling days allows him to dominate guards, he will need to diversify at the next level to reach his potential.
Mason Graham NFL player comparison: Christian Wilkins
Similarly to Graham, Christian Wilkins is a top-level run defender with sack numbers that don’t quite live up to his No. 13 overall selection in 2019.
Graham was an exceptional run defender during his time at the big house. His 92.6 run defense grade was the highest ranked in the nation amongst interior defensive linemen. While similar to Wilkins, his sack numbers do not jump off the page — Pro Football Focus still marked him highly with an 81.1 pass-rush grade.
The player has been described as more of a disruptor than a finisher when it comes to sacking the quarterback. This is similar to how at times Brown has been described.
Pairing Graham with the returning Brown and a free agency addition like Milton Wiliams could go a long way to helping Morgan revamp the Panthers' defensive line the way he turned around the offensive line 12 months ago.