STRENGTHS
Graham is playing Left Tackle but the truth is…he’s a Guard. He has good lateral agility and gives excellent effort on every play. He does a good job run blocking, using leverage, and comes off the snap with quickness. Graham has played Center and Left Tackle for his college team but the Guard/Center is a more natural position and fits his body type. Graham is a fighter and doesn’t give up when he gets beat and that suggests that he has the mental strength to make the move inside.
CONCERNS
Graham lacks the body strength, upper and lower, to play in the NFL for a 17-game schedule. He also lacks the repetitions at guard or center and has a lot of bad habits that need to be corrected before he can be a starting guard or center. He is on the ground too much because he loses leverage and is slow to get to his combo blocks. When pass blocking he plays too high and can get overpowered because of a lack of strength and losing leverage. He has good lateral agility but struggles changing direction and control when pass-blocking. Graham has the potential to be a good run blocker because of his quickness off the snap and leverage but he finishes on the ground too much because he has to come off the snap too low losing his feet and leverage. This will be taken advantage of at the next level if he does not get stronger and keep his balance. His interviews and confidence are not based in reality and that is not good. I think he is in for an emotional and physical shock at the next level. Nevertheless, the talent to be a starting offensive lineman is there for sure.
BOTTOM LINE: 3.22
Graham did not work out at the Senior Bowl or the Combine I guess because of a “Minor” injury. Until he works out or it is leaked as to what that “Minor” Injury is, most teams will struggle to select him early. I think with all of his bad habits and confidence not based in reality, along with the fact that there are just as good, if not better, offensive line talent in this draft, selecting Graham as early as most are suggesting would be a reach for me. That being said, I’ve been wrong before. Graham will have to get stronger, correct his bad habits as an “out of position” Left Tackle, who struggled using good techniques, and realize that at the next level, he can not play every position on the line of scrimmage and will have to concentrate on just playing Guard. Remember, it takes more than talent to play in the NFL.
