Four Michigan football stars crack first round of CBS Sports NFL mock draft

The Michigan Wolverines did not have the season some thought they would, but they were still full of top-end NFL Draft talent that will be on display this spring—specifically, four members of their 2022 recruiting class.

CBS Sports released its latest mock draft from Ryan Wilson, including four Michigan stars in defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, cornerback Will Johnson and tight end Colston Loveland. All come off the board within the first 20 selections.

The highest honor goes to Graham, who was selected No. 5 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Graham appeared in 39 games at Michigan with 27 starts at defensive tackle, earning a starting role in base packages his freshman season in 2022 while emerging as a stalwart up front for the Wolverines. He was an All-American last year and is a two-time All-Big Ten selection, earning first-team honors this year from both the coaches and media.

“My comp for Mason Graham over the summer was Christian Wilkins,” Wilson said. “My co-host on the ‘With the First Pick’ podcast, Rick Spielman, took it a step further and said Quinnen Williams. Wherever you land, Graham is a special talent who headlines a deep defensive line class.”

Johnson, who missed the final six games of the 2024 season, came off the board one pick later to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6, putting him into the organization that once selected Michigan icon Charles Woodson in the 1998 NFL Draft.

Johnson played in 32 games with 22 starts over three seasons at Michigan. The former five-star recruit is a two time All-Big Ten selection (consensus first team in 2023 and second-team by the media in 2024). He earned first-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated as a sophomore in 2023, and was the Defensive MVP of the national championship game, helping lead the Maize and Blue to their 12th title in history and first since 1997.

“Will Johnson was my No. 1 player over the summer and he remains a top-10 talent,” Wilson wrote. “He battled a toe injury that sidelined him for much of the second half of the 2024 season, but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best defenders in college football; there’s a reason the easy comp for him is Patrick Surtain II.”

The first Michigan player to come off the board outside of the top ten was Grant, who Wilson compared and contrasted with a former teammate. The Arizona Cardinals selected him with the No. 16 overall selection.

Grant appeared in 41 games in a Michigan unform along the defensive line, making 17 starts and getting the opening nod in all 12 games this season. He was a third-team All-American selection this year and a two-time All-Big Ten honoree (second team, coaches, 2023-24; second team, media, 2024; third team, media, 2023).

“Kenneth Grant is a really good athlete for his size — and he has a knack for getting his hands up in the passing lane and knocking the ball down,” Wilson said. “He moves well laterally, as he has a surprisingly quick first step with good hand usage to shoot gaps and be disruptive in the backfield. For me, he’s more explosive and consistent than Kris Jenkins, his former teammate and Bengals second-round pick in 2024.”

Rounding out the group was Loveland, selected by the Denver Broncos at No. 20 overall. The Broncos’ slot could move further down if it advances in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs this weekend.

Loveland set the program record for receptions by a tight end in Michigan history this season with 56 grabs for 582 yards and 5 touchdowns in 10 games played. The third-year pass catcher missed the USC and Ohio State games – both Michigan victories – due to injuries. He led the team in receiving in every game he played this season.

“Colston Loveland is listed at 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, and while he runs like he’s 185, he plays like he’s 260,” Wilson said. “He’ll run through open-field arm tackles all day long, has an enormous catch radius, and is a precise route runner, looking like a receiver at times in his movement skills. He’s a willing blocker, but like most pass-catching tight ends coming into the league, he’ll need to improve in this area.”

The 2025 NFL Draft is April 24-26 from Green Bay Wisconsin. The first round will be held on night one with the second and third rounds on night two. The fourth through seventh rounds will take place on day three.