The Jacksonville Jaguars came away with Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham in Bruce Feldman's 2025 NFL mock draft for The Athletic. However, this mock draft isn't like others that are out there.
This is Feldman's fifth year doing a mock draft based on the intel that he's gathered during the pre-draft process from speaking to "dozens" of college coaches and NFL sources to gain some added insight into how things might unfold.
"My goal with this project is to provide unique insight directly from the eyes of rival coaches who have not only studied and scouted these prospects but game-planned for and then faced each of them — in many cases, more than once," Feldman wrote.
Graham has been an extremely popular pick for the Jaguars in mocks, and it's easy to see why. GM James Gladstone said early this offseason that he wants to prioritize addressing the defensive line--which is something he hasn't done yet.
And while Liam Coen mentioned that the Jaguars have a strong foundation in the trenches, there is also an opportunity for improved depth and play at this heavily rotated position.
By ESPN's pass rush win rate metric, the 2024 Jaguars' defensive front ranked 32nd. They were also 27th in run-stop rate as well.
Graham has shown that he can get after the quarterback, tallying 34 pressures and five sacks last season, according to PFF. But his biggest impact came in the run game, where he ranked first in PFF's run defense grade among defensive tackles and was second in run stop rate.
“He knows who he is, and he plays to his strength,” a Big Ten O-line coach who faced Michigan late in the season told Feldman. “I think he’s super impressive with his alignment, how well he uses his hands, takes on double teams — you’ll see him free up the defensive end on a twist. He’s stout, and he’s pretty twitchy. He’s quicker than people think.”
When a defense has a strong presence inside, the other 10 defenders on the field all benefit. That player can not only fill his own stat sheet, but by creating a steady push, eating up space, and taking on blockers, he creates opportunities for others.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Jaguars pick Mason Graham in Bruce Feldman's mock
