During the NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns took a significant risk by trading away the number two overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars (selecting Travis Hunter). In return, they moved three spots to the fifth position, where they selected defensive tackle Mason Graham from the University of Michigan. Additionally, they acquired a second-round pick (36th overall), a fourth-round pick (126th overall), and a first-round pick in 2026.
As of May 27, Graham has officially joined the dog pound by signing a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $40.8 million, which includes a $26.366 million signing bonus. Like many rookie contracts in the first round, the Browns have a fifth-year option.
Former National Champion Graham spent the last three years at the University of Michigan, playing 39 games and earning an All-American award during his junior year.
Graham received substantial playing time as a true freshman and performed impressively in the spotlight, appearing in 14 games. During those games, he recorded 14 solo tackles and 27 combined tackles, three tackles for loss, two and a half sacks, and one pass deflection.
In Graham’s sophomore season, the Wolverines achieved a perfect record of 15-0 and secured the national championship by defeating the Washington Huskies 34-13. He had another impressive year, recording 23 solo tackles, 36 combined tackles, eight tackles for a loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble.
The Wolverines held the top position for only a brief period, ultimately facing a disappointing 2024 season with an 8-5 record, which placed them 43rd among 134 FBS Division I football teams. In contrast, Graham had the best season of his college career. Despite appearing in only 12 games, he recorded 23 solo tackles, 45 combined tackles, three and a half sacks, seven tackles for a loss, and one pass deflection, earning an All-American award for his performance.
The Browns made a strategic move by selecting Graham with the fifth overall pick. In addition, they received the 36th, 126th picks, and a first-round pick in 2026 from the Jaguars. With the 36th overall pick, the Browns selected Quinshon Judkins, a running back from Ohio State. Then, with the 126th pick, they chose another running back, Dylan Sampson, from the University of Tennessee.
During this draft, the trade between the Browns and the Jaguars may not have been the biggest news for Dawgs fans. In the fifth round, the Browns selected Shedeur Sanders with the 144th overall pick. Sanders, a quarterback from Colorado State and the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, was a surprise pick, falling so far in the draft after being projected as a first-round selection.
The Browns had three additional draft picks in the 2025 class. With the 33rd pick in the second round, they selected linebacker Carson Schwesinger from UCLA. In the third round, they chose tight end Harold Fannin Jr. from Bowling Green and quarterback Dillon Gabriel from the University of Oregon.
With the addition of another high-profile defensive asset in Graham, this unit aims to improve upon its performance in the 2024 season, when it ranked 19th in total defense.
Also among the top 100 in Defensive Lineman on the Browns roster are Maliek Collins, ten million per year (52 overall), Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, 6.3 million per year (74 overall), and Shelby Harris, 4.5 million per year (91 overall).
Adding another expensive defensive weapon, in Graham, this unit looks to do better than the 2024 season, where they ranked 19th in total defense.
Trading from the second overall pick to the fifth overall pick can be risky, as it involves giving up the opportunity to select a top-two player in the draft. However, since the Browns were uncertain about who to choose among those top picks, moving back to the fifth pick was a smart option.
The Browns managed to secure an additional first-round pick for the 2026 draft and traded a fourth-round and sixth-round pick for a second-round and fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft. This provides significant value, giving them multiple options at running back and quarterback as they head into the season, while also making substantial additions to their defensive front.
In my opinion, the Browns made a wise decision in this draft by securing a new defensive lineman on a fair contract. This move could help them avoid holdouts similar to what we’ve seen with other players, such as the Bengals’ defensive lineman, Trey Hendrickson. Graham and the Brown Bombers are set up for success over the next four years.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
