This Defender Named as Potential "Surprise Pick" for Giants in Round 1

The Giants could stun the masses if they were to make this selection in the first round, but it actually wouldn't be a bad choice for several reasons.

A banner advertising the 2025 NFL Draft on display in the parking lot of Lambeau Field on April 11, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. | Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Giants’ holding of the third overall pick has many intrigued by what general manager Joe Schoen will do with it.

The common belief is that after Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hutner go first and second, respectively, to the Titans and Browns, the Giants will grab Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.

But in one mock draft, the Giants go in a completely different direction–and no, not at quarterback.  

Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus, in his forecast of 32 surprise picks for all 32 NFL teams, has the Giants taking Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 3.

This Giants regime has built the roster from the outside in, with no tangible results to show for it. Hence, the suggestion to select Graham to help shore up the trenches isn’t necessarily a bad idea. 

That said, passing on a generational talent like Carter, who will probably rank ahead of Graham on most draft boards, is a bad idea and would surely confuse and frustrate a large portion of the fan base.

If the Giants were contemplating passing on Carter—unlikely, but one never knows until a team is on the clock–it would be a gross error in judgement to let the New England Patriots, who draft fourth, get him without paying a steep price. 

If the Giants were to strike a deal to move down one spot, then selecting the top interior defensive lineman in the draft makes perfect sense.  

"The Giants face an intriguing decision at No. 3 overall," he wrote. "If Travis Hunter is off the board and they aren’t ready to take a quarterback, Abdul Carter seems like the logical fallback. 

“But New York’s bigger need may lie on the interior, where Dexter Lawrence stands alone. Mason Graham — college football’s highest-graded defensive tackle in 2024 — could be a perfect running mate."

Blue Team defensive lineman Mason Graham (55) walks up the tunnel for halftime during the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 20, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why Mason Graham fits the Giants

Giants co-owner John Mara sent a clear message to Schoen and Daboll that he demands significant progress next season. 

The decision to sign veteran quarterback Russell Wilson and aggressively upgrade the secondary suggests they received it. 

However, at least in the present, New York's most glaring weakness concerns its run defense.

The Giants allowed 136.2 yards per game during the 2024 campaign, with five teams finishing worse in that department. 

Maybe Graham is the antidote this defense desperately needs. The 6-foot-3, 296-pound defensive tackle embodies the intensity and versatility that coaches want in the trenches, qualities that were on display in Ann Arbor for the last three years.

Graham bulldozed his way through the Alabama offensive line and brought down running back Jase McClellan for a massive tackle for loss, essentially securing a 27-20 win for Michigan in the 2024 Rose Bowl. The Wolverines defeated Washington for the national championship a week later.

Facing a possibly agonizing defeat in the College Football Playoff, Graham willed his team to victory. That type of D-line ferocity is synonymous with Giants football but has been missing until Lawrence came along.

Feb 26, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham (DL11) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Do the Giants agree with the thinking?

With a wrestling background, experience playing multiple other sports, and an understanding of how to attack blockers, Graham is one of the most well-rounded individuals in the 2025 NFL Draft.  

His numbers were not colossal—three and a half sacks, 23 solo tackles, and seven tackles for loss in 12 games last season—but his impact was definitely significant. 

The unanimous All-American helped Michigan remain a top-20 scoring defense even after the program lost several key members from the title team. PFF gave him a superb 91.1 overall grade.

Despite some concerns about his length, Graham has the ability and competitive spirit to swiftly raise the Giants' defense. He might not be a popular choice for No. 3 overall, but the two-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection aligns with the franchise's current get-good-quick objective like maybe no other. 

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