Mason Graham Shortsightedly Leans On Win Over Ohio State At NFL Scouting Combine

Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham tore up the Ohio State Buckeyes in November, but OSU ultimately got the last laugh in the College Football Playoff.

Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham (55) celebrates a play against Ohio State during the second half at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's certainly not a popular opinion in Columbus, but the facts are the facts. Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham was one heck of a football player for the Wolverines and he's likely to be one of the top picks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.

Graham was a two-time All-American in Ann Arbor and at 6-foot-3, 320 pounds with elite athleticism, he's the exact type of disruptive defensive linemen NFL scouts covet.

Speaking of Graham's talents, the Ohio State Buckeyes got a taste of what he's capable of this past season when Michigan rolled into Columbus and beat No. 2 OSU, 13-10. Graham finished with seven tackles (five solo) against the Buckeyes in that game, which was a career high.

Now he's at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and he was just asked by the media what film he'd like NFL scouts to focus on. In his opinion, they just need to turn on that OSU game.

“I mean, I feel like just rolling that Ohio State film. That’s all you need to see, really," Graham said.

While Graham was indeed dominant in that contest and as a player it was a highlight of what he can accomplish at the NFL level, if this was any sort of backhanded way of taking a shot at Ohio State — which it always is with Michigan — it was ultimately shortsighted.

Sure, he was great and at the time, that loss seemed to be the end of the road for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. What that loss ended up being was a reality check for OSU, though, and while Graham can certainly boast about his big day, Day and the Buckeyes are ultimately able to boast about being the College Football Playoff champions.

That's a point of pride that lasts far longer than 60 minutes in November. Yes, "The Game" is "The Game" and Michigan's current streak over Ohio State absolutely still stings in Columbus.

It stings a lot less, though, thanks to the balm that is a CFP championship trophy.