Michigan’s football program could have a banner night when the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday in Green Bay.
There’s a chance four Wolverines are selected in the first round for the first time in program history with Mason Graham, Colston Loveland, Will Johnson being the three sure-fire top-32 picks, and defensive tackle Kenneth Grant being considered a fringe first-rounder.
But when could the next batch of Wolverines start to hear their names called? Most mock drafts throughout the offseason focus primarily on the first two rounds, making it difficult to project the later rounds. However, now that it is draft week, more seven-round mock drafts are going live.
Michigan had a program-record 13 players drafted last year but likely won’t come close to that number in 2025. Of the four recent seven-round mocks, only one had more than six Wolverines getting selected.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid
Graham: No. 5, Jacksonville Jaguars – “Graham is a heavy-handed, disruptive presence in the middle. With 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 26 pressures last season, he was a consistent nuisance for opposing offenses. New general manager James Gladstone comes from a Rams organization that drafts prospects who are immediately ready to play, and that’s Graham.”
Johnson: No. 16, Arizona Cardinals – “Johnson is the best player available at corner, as he can be a true CB1 at 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds. He’s best suited in a zone scheme, with three career pick-sixes an indicator of his true playmaking ability. A toe injury limited Johnson to six games in 2024, so he could fall to this spot.”
Loveland: No. 22, Los Angeles Chargers – “Loveland finished with 56 catches for 582 yards and five touchdowns in 2024 despite inconsistent quarterback play. He also is a serviceable blocker with sufficient play strength, a requirement for tight ends in Greg Roman’s offense. Oh, and he of course played for Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh at Michigan.
Grant: No. 27, Baltimore Ravens – “Grant is a prospect teams are willing to bet on despite his lack of experience. He started only five games in his first two seasons before starting 12 in 2024, but he closes gaps in run defense.”
Edge Josaiah Stewart: Fourth round, No. 118, Atlanta Falcons
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter
Graham: No. 5, Jaguars – “It seems like this pick is meant to be — the Jaguars did not address their defensive line needs in free agency. Graham’s ability to attack the backfield and maintain the line of scrimmage make him a clear top-five value to me.”
Johnson: No. 11, San Francisco 49ers – “The departure of Charvarius Ward leads the 49ers to pick Johnson. His lack of demonstrable elite long speed (he has not run a public pre-draft 40, thanks in part to a hamstring injury, and suffered a season-ending foot injury last year) might make him available here. Johnson’s ball awareness and secure tackling as a zone defender jibe with the zone-heavy scheme Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh leaned on when last together in 2020.”
Loveland: No. 22, Chargers – “Jim Harbaugh picks one of his former Michigan players to serve as Justin Herbert’s new safety valve — don’t forget that Herbert won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 with tight end Hunter Henry serving as his second-most-targeted pass-catcher. Loveland’s strong hands and quick feet will make him an excellent starter in short order.”
Grant: Second round, No. 39, Chicago Bears
Stewart: Fourth round, No. 130, Detroit Lions
Running back Donovan Edwards: Sixth round, No. 212, Ravens
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards
Graham: No. 4, New York Jets via trade – “Opinions on Mason Graham could vary among the league, but the price to move up, even with a divisional rival, is small this year relative to others. New York identifies the opportunity to create a strength along the defensive front with Quinnen Williams and Graham.”
Loveland: No. 14, Indianapolis Colts – “The Colts have invested heavily in that wide receiver room but make Colston Loveland the face of a newly renovated tight end corps.”
Johnson: No. 15, Falcons – “Will Johnson chose not to run the 40-yard dash at a private workout for NFL teams, which quietly confirms that he would not run as fast as one would hope for a top-10 overall pick. The reality is that he is going to slip farther than his 2023 tape suggests he should and the Falcons are rewarded with a quality player opposite A.J. Terrell.”
Grant: No. 30, Buffalo Bills – “Cornerback and interior defensive line are probably the two most pressing needs for the Bills. One of those weaknesses is addressed at No. 30 overall with the selection of Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant.”
Stewart: Third round, No. 97, Minnesota Vikings
Offensive tackle Myles Hinton: Sixth round, No. 197, Denver Broncos
Running back Kalel Mullings: Sixth round, No. 206, Bills
Edwards: Seventh round, No. 247, Dallas Cowboys
Pro Football Focus
Graham: No. 5, Jaguars – “There may not be a better player-team fit in this draft than Mason Graham to the Jaguars, who need to shore up their interior defensive line. Just flip on the Michigan–Ohio State game, and you’ll see everything you need to know about Graham. He led all college interior defenders in PFF overall grade (91.1) this past season.”
Johnson: No. 8, Carolina Panthers – “The Panthers need a more consistent coverage core after allowing the second-highest explosive pass play rate last season (17.6%). Will Johnson allowed a 49.8 passer rating in coverage over his career at Michigan while excelling in both man and zone schemes.”
Grant: No. 21, Pittsburgh Steelers – “Grant’s rare combination of size and athleticism would improve the Steelers’ run defense, which gave up 299 yards in last season’s playoff loss to Baltimore. Cam Heyward, while still excellent, will be 36 years old in May, and the team released Larry Ogunjobi. Grant, who earned an 87.5 PFF run-defense grade in 2024, would fill a huge need for the present and future.”
Loveland: No. 26, Los Angeles Rams – “While needs at other positions might be greater, one of the more exciting offensive weapons in the draft falls to the Rams here instead. It’s no secret Sean McVay covets dynamic tight ends, and he adds the Michigan product as the Rams load up for a Super Bowl run. Loveland’s 90.6 PFF receiving grade since 2023 ranked third in college football.”
Stewart: Second round, No. 60, Lions – “The Lions have done extensive pre-draft homework on Stewart, meeting with him in some capacity at least five times. He’s a polished pass rusher with a deep arsenal of moves and the versatility to work off the ball. His 41.2% win rate on true pass sets in 2024 led all edge defenders in the class.”
Mullings: Fifth round, No. 158, Chargers
