The Cleveland Browns’ defense has been one of the few bright spots for the team during the early stages of the 2025 NFL season, as they’ve been able to keep opposing offenses from blowing them out.
Led by Myles Garrett, the defense remains as dominant as ever, ranking near the top in multiple key metrics.
Aside from Garrett, fans are eagerly watching Mason Graham, whom Cleveland drafted with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Browns traded down from No. 2 with the Jacksonville Jaguars and took Graham, who some NFL evaluators had as the best interior defensive lineman in the draft.
Graham has gotten off to a relatively slow start to his rookie year, though he did record his first half sack in last week’s win against the Green Bay Packers.
Now the Browns and Graham travel to Michigan to take on the Detroit Lions, where he could be poised for a breakout game, according to Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report.
“Mason Graham game incoming. The Browns’ rookie defensive tackle, who was selected with this year’s fifth overall draft pick, is coming off an excellent performance. He’ll be back in Michigan after playing for the Wolverines. The highly disruptive defender will also be going against the Lions’ new-look offensive interior, which should allow him to be the spearhead for Cleveland’s top-ranked defense to keep this game relatively close,” Sobleski wrote.
Returning to his college roots could be enough motivation for Graham, but he’s also got favorable matchups on the inside.
A wrecking ball who was known for getting after the quarterback, Graham’s pass-rush ability will be sorely needed against the Lions, who have an explosive offense led by Jared Goff.
If Graham can make an impact in the trenches, then Cleveland might have a chance to pull off another stunning upset.
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