Michigan football with four first round selections in Mel Kiper Jr's first ESPN mock draft

Michigan football with four first round selections in Mel Kiper Jr’s first ESPN mock draft

Posted by author January 22, 2025 Football

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In the world of NFL mock drafts, few names are as well known as ESPN’s draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. who released his first mock for the 2025 NFL draft Wednesday morning.

While the order was slightly different, the prognosticator saw it the way many have as the season unfolded as he projected the Michigan football program to have four former players selected in the first round come April in Green Bay.

While earlier mock drafts pegged the Jacksonville Jaguars to take a U-M DB in this spot, which Kiper sees as an option, he settles on Michigan’s unanimous All-American defensive tackle Mason Graham as the pick.

“The Jaguars are probably thinking defense here — it’s just a matter of where on defense,” Kiper began. “Michigan corner Will Johnson could be the answer opposite Tyson Campbell. … But defensive tackle is the biggest need, and Graham is one heck of a football player. He wins with his technique, using leverage to beat interior offensive linemen. Graham could slide between Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen and wreak havoc from the inside.”

Johnson won’t have to wait long, according to Kiper’s projection. He sees the 6-foot-2, 205-pound former All-American defensive back coming off the board just four selections later at No. 9 to New Orleans.

Johnson had 14 tackles, three passes defended and two interceptions returned for touchdowns in 2024, though he only played in six games for Wink Martindale’s defense as he nursed a foot injury for the back half of the year.

“Johnson — who reads the QB incredibly well and has the quickness to finish plays with takeaways — could be the Marshon Lattimore replacement in New Orleans,” Kiper said. Johnson had nine interceptions over his career at Michigan. The Saints seemingly always find their way out of salary cap issues, but they are projecte to be $70.6 million over the cap in 2025. They have to find Day 1 starters in the draft, and Johnson would fill a big hole.”

Up next, it doesn’t come for another 13 selections, but at this point it’s been mocked so frequently it almost seems as if it would be a surprise if it didn’t happen.

Kiper Jr. has U-M tight end Colston Loveland going No. 22 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers to give Justin Herbert another weapon and reunite with his former head coach, Jim Harbaugh.

“How about a seam-stretching tight end for quarterback Justin Herbert?” Kiper wrote of the potential pairing with the Los Angeles Chargers. “Loveland is a tough matchup for defenses — he’s 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, and he has some speed. He had 56 catches, 582 yards and five TDs this season despite middling play from Michigan’s quarterback room.

“He played for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, too, so there’s a built in connection.”

Last but not least there are certain things that can’t be coached and Kenneth Grant’s size is one of them. Kiper Jr. sees another Howie Roseman special in Philadelphia who he says will select U-M’s former 6-foot-3 339-pound interior tackle at No. 32 overall with the final pick of the first round.

“GM Howie Roseman favors the trenches in Round 1, so don’t be surprised if he finds another impact defensive tackle with the Eagles’ first pick,” he said, noting if the Eagles did this it would become just the third team according to ESPN research to use a day one selection on the defensive line three times in four years. “Grant’s instincts and ability to bat balls at the line of scrimmage would be welcomed in Philadelphia.”

Michigan football set a program record with 13 NFL draft picks last season and sent an NFL record 18 players to the combine in Indianapolis.

Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.