Mason Graham out of Michigan is one of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL draft and could be an option for the Jets with the seventh overall pick.

There's one big concern people have about the Jets drafting Graham, but it just does not hold up under scrutiny.

I'll explain why today on Lockdown Jets.

Thank you. up under scrutiny. I'll explain why today on Locked On Jets. You are Locked on Jets, your daily New York Jets podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network,

your team every day.

Welcome, this is the Locked on Jets podcast. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, Your Team Every Day. It is Monday, April 21st, 2025. And I'm your host, John B, from gangreneation.com. Thank you so much for making the show your first listener, first watch every day. Big shout out to you every day. This is a daily podcast covering the New York Jets with new episodes episodes each day through the week, Monday through Friday. And today's episode is brought to you by the all-new 2025 Nissan Armada. Stay tuned for the Armada player of the week later in the show. Well, today we are going to continue looking at prospects who could be available for the Jets with the seventh overall pick. And we're going to turn our attention to Mason Graham, a defensive tackle out of Michigan, a player I have discussed a lot since the season ended. We're going to talk about how he could fit in as a rookie with the 2025 Jets. We'll talk about the number one criticism I hear about the Jets potentially picking Graham and why it just does not hold up under scrutiny. But let's begin by talking about why the Jets could be interested in Mason Graham. And as I mentioned, like this is probably the prospect I've spoken

about the most since the season ended in January. And as we've gotten closer to the NFL draft,

I'll be honest with you, I've become more and more pessimistic that he'll still be there at 7

because it feels like his stock has

risen and it's not hard to see see why he's a defensive tackle who brings a lot of skills to

the to the table um you know there are lots of lots of things i like about his game first of all he's

just got a great first step you know he he gets under you know he just explodes off the ball

and especially when you're talking about playing on the interior at the defensive tackle spot, that's important because, you know, there's an old expression, low man wins. And that means, you know, you're trying, essentially it's a battle when you're talking of defensive tackles versus guards and centers, who gets the leverage? And you get the leverage by being, by being the low guy. And when you explode off the ball you're typically you're you're able to make first contact with an offensive lineman before

they're before they're ready before they have a center of balance it gives you a tremendous leverage

advantage gives you an opportunity to do what you do what you want to do and that Graham's, uh, past rushing moves and even his ability to shed blocks of the run game is better than a lot of people give him credit for. I think that there is a refined skill set, uh, when we talk about, you know, his ability to use his hands, to get off blocks, his ability to kind of attack with a plan. You know, it's a phrase I use a lot with Quinn and Williams is that, you know, he pass rushes with a plan. I feel the same way about Mason Graham. I feel like there's actually a pretty advanced repertoire of moves. And then it's also just the motor. I mean, he plays really, you know, he covers a lot of ground. He, he, he doesn't quit until the whistle is blown. You see him follow, follow, you know, the ball down the field. I just think that there's a lot to like about him. And, you know, one of the things I always try and be careful about in the NFL draft is, you know, declaring a prospect that can't miss prospect because anybody can miss.

But I look at Graham's skill set, and I see a skill set that really will translate well to the NFL,

at least has a good chance of translating really well to the NFL.

And I think that, you know, unless like something weird happens, unless like he just gets some,

unless he suffers some like serious injuries that like unexpectedly or, you know, something other, something else weird happens. I think the odds of him

being a pro bowl caliber player are very high because I think that, you know, when I watch,

when I watch prospects, like I try and figure out like if he plays like that in the NFL is you going to have

success and you know sometimes the answer is no sometimes like you watch a receiver who's you know

...