How Mason Graham shows where Michigan finds edge in recruiting
Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham has been a big part of the Wolverines being successful on defense all season, including in the Rose Bowl win over Alabama on Monday.
Graham finished with four tackles, including a tackle for loss against the Crimson Tide, as Michigan survived in overtime for a 27-20 victory.
On3’s Andy Staples recently spoke with Ari Wasserman about how Mason Graham is an excellent example of how Michigan finds an edge in recruiting.
“In Mason Graham, you get a guy who has experienced winning – understands that. Probably understands how to be competitive against some of the aliens that he had to play with on Michigan’s d-line, the higher recruited guys,” Staples said.
Graham was ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 298 overall player in the country in the class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry rankings. He was a part of a winning high school program at Servite High, which is something Michigan looks for.
The All-American has exceeded his recruiting ranking thus far as he enters the national title game with 32 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss this season. He appeared in all 14 games as a freshman, recording 27 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Wasserman explained how Michigan did a great job with its evaluation of Graham.
“When you look at where these guys were ranked, you can look and say, ‘Well, Alabama has 50 four-star prospects on its roster and Michigan has 50′ and you might call that a wash,” Wasserman said. “But the people who pay attention to the context of recruiting also understand that if you’re a top-50 national player and you’re a four-star prospect and you’re a top-400 player and a four-star prospect, the difference between a top-50 player and a top-400 player is vast.”
Alabama out-recruits Michigan year in and year out. But the Wolverines not only do a good job with evaluations, they are also excellent at developing talent. That’s what allows them to knock off a program like Alabama.
“What Michigan has been able to do is sign these four-star players that don’t jump off the page and have offer lists from Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, USC and Texas,” Wasserman said. “They’ve found those lower-tier four-star prospects that are choosing between maybe Michigan, UCLA and a few Big Ten teams. They’ve come in and found the fit. And these guys start playing and producing at a level that you would expect from a top-50 player. “
That’s a big reason why Michigan is now one win away from a national championship.
The Wolverines will face Washington Monday night in Houston. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Michigan enters the matchup as a 4.5-point favorite as the Wolverines look to finish off an undefeated season.