Brandon Graham, 2010 NFL Draft
Brandon Graham
Defensive End
Michigan
6’2” 268 lbs.
Strengths: Quickness, technique, power, athleticism, experience, intelligence
Weaknesses: Doesn't have ideal size.
By Scot A****s
Michigan’s defense has been one of the worst in the country since Rich Rodriquez took over the head coaching job in 2008 and the team has found itself ranked in the doldrums of college football for the second consecutive year. Despite the problems that Michigan has had, defensive end Brandon Graham has stood out as one of the NCAA’s best defenders. He has led the country in tackles for a loss over the last two years with 46, 20.5 of them being sacks. It’s just too bad that during that span the team as a whole has a compiled a measly record of 8-16.
In 2005 Graham was a highly recruited, five star linebacker prospect coming out of Crockett Vocation Tech high school in Detroit. For the last three years he has been a major contributor for the Wolverines at defensive end. Over the course of his career he has accumulated 138 tackles, 63 of them going for a loss.
Because he has played on such horrible defenses, Graham has faced a lot of double teams. However, he gets his pads low, uses his strong base effectively, and displays incredible quickness in order to beat combination blocks. At times he has completely dominated the competition with an ability to rip through blocks like few other defenders can and fights to make plays until the whistle blows. He can even break down and make the open field tackle against elite athletes.
Some scouts seem to think of him as a ‘tweener and are not sure whether Graham would be better suited as a 4-3 end or a 3-4 outside linebacker. Such has been the case for a lot of players coming out of college due to their lack of ideal size for NFL defensive lineman. It is quite possible that Graham could do both but his experience in college has been on the line and it may bode better for him if a team employing a 4-3 makes the call. He may not have the elite speed of a Dwight Freeney or the long arms of a Mario Williams but Graham is a special player who has consistently gotten the job done from a three point stance.
Either way, the team that drafts him will get an elite prospect with the potential to be an all-pro player in the NFL. At the very least he will be a serviceable player capable of disrupting blocking schemes with his power and quickness. Whether or not he becomes a pro-bowl type player may simply depend on his determination. At this point it is difficult to question his ability or resolve as an athlete as his numbers simply speak for themselves.
Expect him to get his name called somewhere in the middle of round one in the 2010 draft. If he shows up to the combine and blows the scouts away with a top-notch forty time he could go in the top five. If he tanks the forty and appears a little sluggish and out of shape his stock could drop him into the second round. With Michigan missing out on another bowl season Graham finds himself with a lot of time on his hands these days. What he does with it will be a huge factor in determining where he is drafted in April.
2009 Stats:
* 42 Solo Tackles
* 22 Assisted Tackles
* 10.5 Sacks
* 2 Forced Fumbles
* 2 Blocked Kicks
* 1 Touchdown
Career Stats:
* 86 Solo Tackles
* 52 Assisted Tackles
* 27 Solo Sacks
* 5 Assisted Sacks
* 3 Passes Defended
* 8 Forced Fumbles
* 2 Blocked Kicks
* 1 Touchdown
