Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham has been a staple in the first half of the first round of 2025 NFL mock drafts since the college season started. And deservedly so; Graham is a menacing, technically proficient and disruptive headache for opposing offenses.
Graham isn’t the only premium prospect along that Wolverines defensive front, however. In Saturday’s upset win in Columbus, Kenneth Grant showed Ohio State and the scouting world that he is more than just a beneficiary of playing next to a star like Graham.
Grant was the best player on the field for either team in Michigan’s suffocating defensive performance in a game where it’s feasible that as many as 17 of the defensive starters between the two teams will be drafted into the NFL at some point. Ohio State couldn’t block Grant, period.
OSU’s opening drive of the second half.
They runs continued to do nothing while the passes picked up 3 first downs.
Then, after an incompletion, a short pass, and a tipped ball by Rashawn Benny,
Kenneth Grant storms the castle and forces an errant throw by Howard.
OSU has to punt pic.twitter.com/DOi7yHpeu2— Due# (@JDue51) December 2, 2024
Grant finished the game with five QB pressures per PFF, which the stats service notes is the most QB pressures by any defensive interior player for the entire week. He’s been doing it all season, however.
Kenneth Grant doesn’t get enough credit for being the freakishly good athlete he is 🔥
— JD 〽️ (@MGoJDBlue) November 13, 2023
The 339-pound Grant consistently uses his freakish (for his size) burst and long speed to disrupt screens and outside runs. When he doesn’t get home as a pass rusher, there might not be a better DT in the draft at getting his hands into the passing lane. Against USC, a game I attended, Grant got his hands on one Miller Moss attempt and forced a high throw on another that stopped a drive.
Grant is a viable first-round talent in his own right. That’s no shot at Graham, who belongs in the top-15 rankings. Both can be great individually, and they are. They were the bright spot for Michigan in an overall disappointing campaign for the defending national champs and the biggest reason why that 7-5 season ended with the most important win the Wolverines could dream about.
