Four Michigan stars ranked in Daniel Jeremiah's updated top-50

The Michigan Wolverines will be one of the teams most represented at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft with four potential first-rounders in the mix. Defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, cornerback Will Johnson and tight end Colston Loveland were foundational players in U-M’s 2022 class, and now each has a chance to be that for whatever team selects them.

NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah released his updated top-50 this week with the four stars in the top 30. Here is what he had to say about each of Michigan’s potential first-round draftees.

Defensive tackle Mason Graham: No. 4 overall

Sitting atop the list of Michigan draft hopefuls is defensive tackle Mason Graham, who comes in at No. 4 overall behind Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter, Penn State OLB Abdul Carter and Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty. Graham appeared in 39 games at Michigan with 27 starts, 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.

What Jeremiah said: “Graham is a powerful defensive tackle with outstanding leverage and instincts. He’s one of the most consistent players in the draft class. Against the run, he has an impressive short-area burst to attack blockers. He excels in block destruction. He stacks, finds the ball, chucks blockers to the side and collects tackles. He has lateral range to make plays down the line, too. He is always in a leverage position and never gets uprooted. In the pass game, he has a violent club/rip move and a powerful bull rush. His effort is outstanding. Overall, it’s easy to identify Graham as a former wrestler. He always has a full gas tank and he set the tone for the entire Michigan defense.”

Tight end Colston Loveland: No. 7 overall

Tight end Colston Loveland was next up at No. 7 overall and the top-ranked guy at his position in the class. 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, then opted out of the ReliaQuest Bowl win over Alabama. He led the team in receiving in every game he played this season.

What Jeremiah said: “Loveland is a long, lean tight end with outstanding awareness, quickness and big-play ability. He has aligned in-line, as a wing and in the slot. He’s urgent in his release. He has a tremendous feel for option routes and working in space. He can cleanly get in/out of breaks and he presents a big target to the quarterback. He attacks the ball in the air and is adept at finishing in crowds. After the catch, he has a smooth stride and possesses a nasty stiff-arm. He has some wiggle to make defenders miss, as well. His lack of bulk impacts his ability to stay connected as a run blocker, though. Overall, Loveland is equipped to make a lot of catches as a starting tight end in his rookie campaign.”

Cornerback Will Johnson: No. 14 overall

Ccornerback Will 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.

What Jeremiah said: “Johnson is a big cornerback with easy/fluid movement skills and excellent instincts. He played outside and in the slot at Michigan. In off coverage, he’s very smooth and relaxed. He doesn’t panic, settles on routes and can find/play the ball. He had an impressive flat-footed read against USC that he turned into a pick-six. He has the size/length to press and match up with bigger wideouts. The two issues that showed up in his 2024 game tape were inconsistency as a support player against the run and questions about his deep speed. He wasn’t ultra-aggressive to attack ball-carriers and he was run over multiple times. He can alleviate any concerns about his speed during athletic testing in the spring. Overall, Johnson isn’t a perfect player, but I do love his blend of size and ball skills.”

Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant: No. 30 overall

Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant rounded out the list at No. 30, fourth at his position behind Graham, Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen and Oregon’s Derrick Harmon. Grant appeared in 41 games in a Michigan uniform 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).

What Jeremiah said: “Grant is a massive defensive tackle with intriguing quickness and power. He’s very much a work in progress as a pass rusher. He flashes quick/violent hands to club/swim for wins, but far too often doesn’t have a plan and stalls out. He hasn’t learned to harness his strength to bull rush and consistently collapse the pocket. That should be at the top of his agenda this coming season. He’s a very dominant run defender. He easily holds the point of attack, despite playing with a high pad level. I love his effort and awareness to chase down screens. If you want to see what Grant is capable of, watch Michigan’s game against USC from the 2024 season. His upside was on full display that day. Unfortunately, he couldn’t bottle that performance during an up-and-down season. Overall, there is some assembly required, but his physical tools are very loud and worth the investment.”