INDIANAPOLIS — Mason Graham does not look the part. 

Graham is expected to be the first defensive tackle taken in the NFL draft.

He is projected to be a top-10 pick.

But he does not cut the imposing figure you’d expect from a defensive lineman listed at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds. 

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah saw this for himself when he attended the Wolverines game against Oregon last fall. 

“A bunch of personnel guys and GMs down on the field. We’re walking down there, and I see Mason Graham walk by,” Jeremiah said. “Of course, he is next to Kenneth Grant, his teammate, who it looks like he’s a cartoon character. He’s an Adonis how big he is. I’m looking at Mason Graham and body type, and I’m, like, gosh, maybe I need to adjust my grade. Maybe I’m just too high on this guy. Then I proceeded to watch the game, and I was, like, nope, nope, he’s just really, really good.” 

Graham has a chance this week at the NFL Scouting Combine to impress upon teams that he should be a top pick.

Graham makes a lot of sense for the Jets at No. 7 … if he is not taken earlier.

He is a possibility at No. 4 to the Patriots, No. 5 to the Jaguars or No. 6 to the Raiders before the Jets are on the clock. 

But there is no question the Jets could use a player like Graham to pair up with Quinnen Williams in the middle of the Jets defense.

The Jets let their defensive line slip last season and the defense suffered.

If you are listing the Jets’ needs this offseason, defensive tackle is near the top of the list. 

Graham would give a boost to new coach Aaron Glenn’s program. 

“I feel like I affect every snap run or pᴀss,” Graham said. “I feel like I’m a dominant player, one of the most dominant players in this class.” 

Graham won a national тιтle with Michigan after the 2023 season, and was the Rose Bowl MVP in their playoff win over Alabama.

Last season, Graham was named first-team All-American. 

Jeremiah said teams should not get distracted if Graham does not test well at the combine or his pro day. He said Graham’s game tape speaks for itself. 

“I hope people don’t overthink it with him as we get to the spring and kind of the further we get away from football, but he’s got crazy, elite leverage, balance, and instincts,” Jeremiah said. “You can see there’s a wrestling background there. He’s just never on the ground. He gets underneath guys. I just wrote down when I was looking at my notes, I had ‘block destruction’ written down so many different times. He’s just a real aggressive player who has got instincts and can dominate the game against the run, and I think has more to offer as a pᴀss rusher.” 

Graham does not agree with the idea that he won’t test well here. 

“I think I’m pretty athletic,” Graham said. “I don’t know where that kind of came from. I feel like I’m one of the most athletic guys here. I feel like I kind of proved that and you can see it on my tape.” 

Last season, Graham’s best game came against Michigan’s archrival.

He had seven tackles in the Wolverines’ upset of Ohio State.

Graham pointed to that game when asked if there was a play or a game that sums him up. 

“I feel like just roll that Ohio State film,” he said. “That’s all you need to see, really.” 

Whoever drafts Graham, he wants them to know they are getting a complete player. 

“I pride myself in playing the run and the pᴀss because I feel like that’s what a complete D-lineman does,” Graham said. “So, obviously rushing the pᴀsser, I feel like I’m really good at. I can run through guys or I can be a finesse guy at the same time.”