“We felt like it was a fantastic opportunity for our organization to go down three spots and add a player in the trenches,” Berry said.
Instead of taking Hunter, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and a playmaker at both wide receiver and cornerback, Cleveland got Jacksonville’s second- and fourth-rounders this year and the Jaguars’ 2026 first-rounder.
“They traded back for a reason. They wanted to pick me,” Graham said.
The added benefits for the Browns are that they have two of the top five picks in the second round, which is viewed by many as being deeper compared to previous years, along with an additional first-round selection next year.
The Browns will have four picks — two each in the second and third rounds — on Friday.
“Adding a pick in what we view as really the sweet spot for this year’s draft class, and then adding a first-round pick next year, in a class that quite frankly we think will be a bit stronger in the first 30 picks,” Berry said. “We just felt like over both in the short term and and over a multi-year time horizon it fit what we wanted to do with the team and the roster.”
Since Berry became the Browns general manager in 2020, nine of his 22 selections in the first four rounds have been on defensive linemen, the most in the league during that span according to SportRadar.
Graham was a first-team selection on the Associated Press All-America team. He had 45 tackles, 7.0 sacks and 3 1/2 tackles for loss last season.
During Michigan's national championship season in 2023, Graham was the defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl when the Wolverines beat Alabama in overtime to advance to the College Football Playoff title game.
“He is a DNA match for our defense. He’s a disruptive interior penetrator and can affect the pocket from inside. He produces in a variety of ways,” Berry said.
Graham joins a Browns defensive line that features All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett. Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski also liked Graham because interior linemen who can also rush the passer are at a premium.
“He’s one of the best players in the league, and he’s been really dominant, so I’m nothing but grateful to play next to him and build up Cleveland," said Graham about being paired with Garrett.
Graham's biggest adjustment will be going from a read-and-react scheme he played in college to an attack style employed by defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Berry noted the scheme change is a simpler mentality, but it does take a little bit of time to adjust.
“It’s no secret how you just have to get on the grass and work at it. There’s plenty of glimpses on tape with Mason though that show you how clearly he has the ability to play an attack scheme,” Stefanski said.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP