The Cleveland Browns entered the 2025 NFL Draft with several roster holes, especially at quarterback. Yet, they surprised many by making significant strides in improving their team. Cleveland pulled off the draft’s biggest trade by swapping first-round picks with the Jacksonville Jaguars, sliding down to the No. 5 spot.
The Jaguars used the second overall pick to select Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, while the Browns drafted Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5 and secured a 2025 second-rounder along with a 2026 first-round pick in the deal.
While Travis Hunter was almost universally viewed as a top-two prospect in the 2025 draft class, Mason Graham also came in with high praise, ranking third on Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board. However, the defensive tackle didn’t appear quite as physically imposing as expected during the pre-draft process.
Browns’ Mason Graham not worried about his weight
Graham turned heads at the Scouting Combine when he weighed in at just 296 pounds—well below his college listing of 320. For a defensive tackle, dropping under 300 pounds is considered undersized. But Graham brushed off the concerns, saying he’s already back up to 310 and that his weight shifts are nothing out of the ordinary.
“I was like 304 when I arrived at the Combine and that kind of week took a toll on me,” Graham said, via Cleveland.com. “I was in medical from 10 [a.m.] to 7:30 p.m., I missed some of my formal visits, but I feel like the weight’s not an issue. I’m 310 right now, I feel really good and kind of ready to go just right into rookie minicamp,” Graham said via a story from Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk
After getting drafted by Cleveland, Mason Graham expressed his excitement about teaming up with Myles Garrett. The star pass rusher had asked for a trade earlier in the offseason but eventually committed to the Browns by signing a four-year, $160 million extension.
Although Cleveland opted not to draft a quarterback in the first round, the team still addressed the position by selecting Dillon Gabriel at No. 94 and later grabbing Shedeur Sanders with the 144th pick. Taking Sanders in the fifth round played a major role in the Browns receiving Mel Kiper’s only A+ draft grade this year.
