Michigan football: Mason Graham makes massive jump after re-ranking the '22 recruiting class

After three years in Ann Arbor, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham is known as one of the best players in college football. He was an All-American in both 2023 and 2024 and now Graham is off to the NFL where he will become a likely top 10 pick come April. But Graham didn't always have those accolades. In fact, Graham was one of the most underrated recruits to come out of the 2022 recruiting cycle.

According to the Composite, Graham was a four-star recruit and the No. 247 ranked recruit in the country. However, on other sites, such as ESPN, they ranked Graham as a three-star recruit. The Anaheim (CA) Servite product proved to be one of the best prospects to come out of the '22 cycle and would've been a five-star after his career was over.

ESPN re-ranked the '22 class and Graham made a mega jump on its recruiting service. ESPN originally had him as the No. 71 overall defensive tackle in the '22 cycle and a three-star. But after the re-rank Graham is considered the third-best player to come out of the 2022 class behind Travis Hunter and Gerorgia's Mykel Williams.

"Clearly, Graham proved a lot of people wrong once he arrived in Ann Arbor," wrote Billy Tucker from ESPN. "He was a three-star prospect out of Servite High School in California, where he was a two-way contributor and a standout wrestler. Some evaluators early in his prep career wondered whether he was better suited for the offensive line. Now, Graham is one of the most disruptive defenders in the 2025 draft. The 320-pounder departs Michigan as a unanimous first-team All-American on the strength of his powerful hands, athleticism and relentless work ethic."

Mason Graha — Melanie Maxwell / USA TODAY NETWORK

One other Wolverine made the list

Cornerback Will Johnson also made a sizable jump. Johnson was viewed as a five-star on most services, but ESPN had him as the No. 23 overall player and the No. 4 cornerback in the 2022 cycle. On the re-rank, Johnson jumped up to No. 7 overeall.

"Johnson was on the precipice of five-star status but wasn't Michigan's highest-ranked signing at the time; that distinction belonged to Derrick Moore," Tucker said. "But Johnson emerged alongside Mason Graham as a stalwart for the Wolverines' defense, even if he was banged up in 2024. The 6-2 Johnson, who finished his career with nine interceptions and three defensive touchdowns, has the desired length for a shutdown boundary corner with exceptional feel for reading receivers and tracking the ball."

Johnson, like Graham, was also a two-time All-American in both 2023 and '24. Johnson was injury prone this past year and missed several games, but the impact he had when he was on the football field was undeniable. He returned three interceptions for a touchdown which broke a Michigan record. Johnson should also be considered a top 10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Will Johnso — Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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