ANN ARBOR – Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito attended the NFL Scouting Combine last month in Indianapolis to support former Wolverines star defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant.
Esposito posted a photo with the two projected first-round picks on social media with the hashtag, “Trench Mob.” In his first season as defensive line coach, Esposito watched Graham and Grant mob opposing linemen in the trenches throughout the year.
When NFL teams ask about the two tackles, he always highlights their performance against Ohio State in November, when they were a two-man wrecking crew up front to help Michigan pull off a stunning 13-10 upset in Columbus.
“Throw that Ohio State game on, the last game they played here, the last game they ever wore their jersey here, and tell me what you think, because they absolutely dominated,” Esposito said of what he tells NFL teams. “They dominated a great team, and they dominated in a fashion that doesn’t happen for D tackles.
“Whoever gets those guys are going to have special talents, and they’re going to be really excited about them.”
With the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay less than a month away, teams are continuing to gather and assess information about their potential draft picks. Both Graham and Grant cited injuries as the reason for not participating in on-field testing or drills at the combine. While some of the draft buzz surrounding them may have subsided after the combine, both Graham and Grant were healthy enough to participate in drills at Michigan’s pro day on March 21.
Their draft stock appears to have been restored and maybe even improved since pro day. Graham had been frequently mocked in the picks 5-7 range before the combine but is projected to go third overall to the New York Giants in ESPN analyst [Mike Tannenbaum’s mock draft](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587345&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnfl%2Fdraft2025%2Fstory%2F_%2Fid%2F44306389%2F2025-nfl-mock-draft-tannenbaum-exec-first-round-32-picks) from last week.
Grant, initially projected as a late first-round pick, is now appearing in more mock drafts in the mid-first-round range. Tannenbaum’s latest mock has Grant going to Atlanta with the 15th overall pick.
“It went better than I expected,” Grant, who pulled out of drills late at the combine after initially planning to go through on-field testing, said after his pro day workout. “I felt really good, so I decided to do everything. Body was feeling good, (hamstring) was feeling good. Just taking care of my body and trying to compete.”
Graham, who weighed in at 296 pounds at the combine after being listed at 320 on Michigan’s 2024 roster, addressed the steep drop at his pro day workout.
“I feel like teams aren’t concerned about it,” he said. “My weight fluctuates, but wherever I feel comfortable at is wherever I feel comfortable at. I wasn’t playing football when I weighed in at the combine, so it was a little different. But as I get closer (to the start of the season), I’ll be back to 310.”
What separates Graham and Grant from other prospects, at least in Esposito’s eyes, isn’t all about their athletic ability. Both saw their snap counts climb drastically last season and both displayed their versatility by playing multiple positions along the line.
Graham was a unanimous first-team All-American in 2024 and finished with the best run grade of all FBS defensive lineman, according to Pro Football Focus.
The 6-foot-4, 331-pound Grant was a second-team all-Big Ten selection, finishing with 32 tackles, three sacks and five pass breakups.
Esposito attributes their success to their preparation. He would meet with them on Tuesday nights during the season to discuss their pass rush plan for the upcoming week, and he was always impressed with their keen eye during film study.
“The way they dissect, the way they know football, and then in-game was second to none,” he said. “That happens because of their knowledge of their opponent and who they’re playing, and then obviously how they take care of themselves. I think that’s the biggest jump to the NFL. It’s a longer season. They’re lucky because they played at Michigan, and Michigan goes deep into the season, and (Michigan is) physical, and we practice hard, so they’ll be good with that. It’s just the things that they did that were unbelievable off the field, just their football 101 knowledge, knowing what they’re seeing and how they’re seeing it.”