Mel Kiper Calls Mason Graham the Defensive Shedeur Sanders amid Potential Draft Fall

Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham has earned high praise ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, despite rumors that he may be slipping on some boards.

"He's becoming the defensive version of Shedeur Sanders. He's just a heck of a football player," Mel Kiper said on First Draft (22:45 mark).

Graham has been projected as the No. 5 overall pick for months, expected to land with the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, with the team led by offensive-minded head coach Liam Coen, there's speculation Jacksonville could pivot in a different direction.

"The B/R Scouting Dept. has mocked Graham to the Jaguars several times, making the pick almost chalk at this point," Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department wrote. "Even so, he’d be an instant upgrade over what Jacksonville currently has at defensive tackle and would immediately form a strong, young defensive line alongside Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker."

Despite this, Coen's 15 years of experience as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator could signal a shift in draft strategy, a point Kiper emphasized.

"He's not an LTP-er [look the part], so now we're going to scrutinize him and say, 'Well yeah, he was good, but his stats.' Did you watch the tape? He had more disruptive plays than anybody, but it didn't show up on a stat chart," Kiper said.

Last season, the junior defensive tackle totaled 46 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and one pass defended.