The Cleveland Browns must have really loved defensive lineman Mason Graham heading into the NFL Draft, as they traded down from No. 2 to No. 5 to land the Michigan Wolverines star, bypassing the opportunity to select Travis Hunter in the process.
Graham was definitely one of the most dominant defensive players in all of college football during his last couple of years at Michigan, but because he isn't exactly a flashy pick, many Browns fans are livid with the selection (snubbing Hunter also has a lot to do with the outrage).
But perhaps Cleveland fans will change their minds on Graham when they hear this legendary comparison from former Browns running back Leroy Hoard, who likened Graham to J.J. Watt during a recent episode of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show.
"What a beast, right? He kind of gives me a feel of J.J. Watt," Hoard said. "It's the only guy that I can think of that size, that mobility, to be able to make plays like that. That's the last guy I can think of that looked that way. So I was excited."
Obviously, Watt may seem like a bit of an ambitious comparison, as the former Houston Texans superstar was definitely more athletic than Graham and displayed much better pass-rushing chops during his time at Wisconsin.
However, there is no denying that Graham was an incredibly impactful player on the collegiate level, whether or not his traditional statistics reflect that.
The 21-year-old registered 45 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks this past season, earning All-American honors in the process. He helped lead the Wolverines to a national championship in 2023.
Maybe playing alongside of Myles Garrett will fully unlock his ability to get to the quarterback.
