NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Iowa DL Aaron Graves

Matt HolderJan 27, 2026

At 6'5", 295 pounds, Aaron Graves combines size and solid athleticism to be an intriguing late-round 2026 NFL draft prospect or as a priority free-agent signing. His quickness and movement skills give him potential as a pass-rusher, and he has the upper-body strength to get extension on blocks when working against the run.

Graves went to Iowa as a 4-star recruit in the 2022 class, getting playing time as a true freshman and becoming a full-time starter during his junior year. He played in 52 games for the Hawkeyes, racking up 122 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, a sack and five passes defended over four seasons.

That production resulted in honorable mention (2024) and second-team (2025) All-Big selections for the Iowa native.

Matt Holder has been a part of B/R's Scouting Department for four seasons. He also writes about the Las Vegas Raiders and NFL draft for SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride, and co-hosts a YouTube Channel, Tape Don't Lie, providing film breakdowns and more draft prospect analysis.

Where He Wins

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- Graves has good size and appears to have long arms. Fits the physical profile for an NFL 4i-technique.

- Decent overall athlete who shows solid quickness, giving him potential to develop as a pass-rusher.

- Sets up his pass-rush moves well by stemming outside to open up an inside lane or vice versa.

- Has flashed a solid swim-move that he can win with as a pass-rusher or use to escape blocks in the run game.

- When he picks his hand straight up from the ground, he has the upper-body strength and length to get extension blocks in the run game.

- Solid at moving his feet and using his agility to avoid getting reached.

Areas of Improvement

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- Graves is a waist-bender, not a knee-bender, hindering his lower-body strength and ability to stay in his gap. He ends up losing gap control against one-on-one blocks from offensive linemen, who play with good leverage, and gets blown off the ball by combo blocks.

- Waist bending also causes issues with his balance, as he ends up with his nose over his toes often.

- Hands are often late and wide as a run defender, exposing his chest and leading to getting stuck on blocks often.

- Late to recognize and struggles to sink his hips against down blocks, leading to him getting washed inside.

- Use of hands as a pass-rusher is poor, showing issues with timing and accuracy, which makes it difficult for him to win consistently.