The Michigan Wolverines still have a lot of hope for the 2024 season on the defensive end of the ball, even though they lost a number of important players and assistant coaches following the 2023 campaign. The defensive line talent that Michigan will have back in juniors Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant is a major factor in that.
Wolverine supporters now have even more reason to be enthusiastic about Michigan’s defensive line in 2024 after Max Chadwick and Pro Football Focus named Graham and Grant among the top ten returning interior defensive linemen in the nation. Even better, Grant came in at number six on the list, and Graham came in first.
Mason Graham was a poor four-star recruit when he arrived in Ann Arbour, but he has grown into one of Michigan’s defense’s most effective players since his freshman year in 2022. This is an amazing accomplishment, given that he played with players like Mazi Smith and Kris Jenkins. Graham achieved the best PFF grade of any FBS true freshman in the nation in his debut season, 80.3. With increased playing time in 2023, he kept up his strong play, earning a spot on the coaches’ first team All-Big Ten and second team All-American teams.
With three sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss in 2023, Graham used his strength and quickness to apparently break into rival backfields at will. Graham was one of just two defensive linemen in the country, according to PFF, to be among the top 10 run and pass defenders. Such stats show that Graham is a formidable opponent, which adds to his value and solidifies his position as the best tackle in the country.
In addition, Chadwick has given Graham high marks as a possible possibility in the 2025 NFL Draft, drawing some ambitious parallels with top prospects like Jalen Carter and Quinnen Williams.
Conversely, Kenneth Grant was somewhat of a revelation the previous year. Grant lived up to the rumours that he might be a breakout player in 2023 that we had been hearing all winter. In his sophomore season, Grant made the second team coaches and third team media All-Big Ten, recording five tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks in his first taste of extended playing time.
By wins over average, Grant was the sixth-best returning interior defensive lineman among the Power Five, according to PFF. With a 78.4 pass rushing grade, he demonstrated his ability to pressure the passer as well. His quickness and size (6-foot-3, 349 pounds) further enhance his appeal as a possible selection possibility. He can also cover ground and bring down running backs, as demonstrated when he covered Penn State’s Kaytron Allen.
