The Cleveland Browns made waves on draft night with a strategic maneuver that surprised many NFL analysts.
Rather than selecting the highly touted two-way phenom Travis Hunter, Browns General Manager Andrew Berry chose to acquire additional draft capital through a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The move allowed Cleveland to slide back to the fifth overall pick, where they secured Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, a decision that signals the team’s commitment to strengthening their defensive front.
Following Graham’s selection, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski met with reporters to explain the reasoning behind the trade and what made the Michigan standout worthy of such a high pick.
“This is not a guy that’s been doing it for one game or one season. He’s been doing it for a long time and has been productive in his career. I think what you see from this player has been consistent and he is a guy that is constantly disrupting the offense. It’s a true one on one and it’s the nearest point to the quarterback and I just feel really strong about his skill set and I feel really strong about the person. I just think he fits who we are,” Stefanski told 92.3 The Fan’s Daryl Ruiter.
I asked Kevin Stefanski about #Browns passing up 2 perceived transformational players in Travis Hunter & Abdul Carter and what he sees in Mason Graham that leads him to believe Graham can be transformational for them pic.twitter.com/Q6HXH55jTJ
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) April 25, 2025
Stefanski went on to praise Graham’s versatility as both a run-stopper and pass rusher.
Despite his imposing frame, Graham shows remarkable quickness when shedding blocks and pursuing ball carriers.
His pass-rushing skills have proven particularly effective against interior offensive linemen, creating the kind of inside pressure that can collapse pockets.
Stefanski highlighted tactical advantages Graham brings to Cleveland’s defense, noting how defensive tackles can exploit matchups when centers shift their attention elsewhere – a scenario the Browns have already mastered with star edge rusher Myles Garrett.
This inside-outside pressure combination could soon become a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
At 6’3″ and 296 pounds, Graham served as the cornerstone of Michigan’s championship-winning defense.
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Former Coach Says Browns ‘Fleeced’ Jaguars In Draft Trade
