Just like when defending the run, Mason is equally meticulous with his technique when it comes to rushing the opposing QB. Here, you see all the same moves I mentioned earlier regarding separation and shedding blocks, but with subtle active variations to be even more effective in pass rush situations.

He can also be seen using Clubs or Chop moves in combination with very fluid lateral steps, allowing him to dive directly into the gaps while keeping his hands very active to avoid getting caught by the blockers.

If Graham is a player who is very clean technically, he doesn't hesitate to occasionally use more power with a strong Bull-rush to catch his opponents off guard and burst through the pocket from the inside, forcing the QB to rush or leave the pocket, thereby helping the Edge rushers as well.

His footwork is also very good, and this gives me the opportunity to touch on a point I haven't mentioned regarding his ability to stop the run. Mason is surprisingly skilled at not giving up too much ground against opposing double teams. For a player with a relatively "light" build like his, he could find himself in more trouble in these situations, but thanks to his technique, he manages to stay low (leverage) and keep his legs active (footwork), which allows him to once again do a great job.

Let's move on to the weak points, and as I said in the introduction, the few small flaws it has are really minimal in view of its level and potential, but they are still there and must be mentioned.

I'm highlighting three points that really stand out after observing it a fair bit, but that's really grasping at straws.

I found, for example, that during certain actions Mason could be a little lacking in explosiveness, or rather in the extraordinary level of athletic ability that we've come to expect from certain DT prospects in recent years.

I will explain, if in itself I don’t find Mason to be lacking athletically, quite the opposite, he’s even quite agile and quick in small spaces, I don’t see any big bursts of acceleration or explosions coming out of his stance that left me in awe when watching the tape. The kind of plays that I replay 5-6 times saying ‘what is that thing!’.

No, every time it was rather measured and like the way he plays, it's strong, it's clean, but at no time did I come close to toppling over in front of a flash of power or explosiveness.

Another point to note is that I've just mentioned the very clean side of his playing, and this is really subjective but, for me, Mason Graham as strong as he is doesn't transport me because he's just too clean.

I don't know, I feel like it lacks violence in his game, a violence that I particularly like to see in players playing in the trenches. Paradoxically, the Mason Graham of the 2023 season, much more raw and less refined technically, appealed to me much more in the sense of power and violence he exuded, and yet, as I said, it's really paradoxical since the Mason Graham of the 2024 class is a much more lethal player in his execution. No movement seems unnecessary, his success rate when executing techniques has never been better.

Mason is a truly decisive player, yet he excites me less than other players at the position. One point that bothers me a bit is that despite all the success and talent of the player, even now, I have a hard time seeing him as someone who could become an all-time player or even at least a Pro Bowler. This feeling bothers me!

Let's continue with a point that might not be one and could rather be a consequence of his coaching staff, but Mason sometimes gets himself out of the play when he directly attacks a gap. This happens especially when he executes a stunt (a move where he goes into a different responsibility gap than the one he was initially aligned in at the start of the play) because he likes to throw a rip move directly into the gap he's moving to. In doing so, he ends up giving his back or side to the blockers, which tends to compromise him.
Similarly, he sometimes still comes directly into contact with his opponents at the shoulder, or he gets too close to them too quickly, finding himself in a situation where he can no longer create separation. He ends up stuck in the block with no ability to disengage and make the tackle.

These situations mostly occur when he has to execute a stunt, and that's why I'm wondering if it might be a coaching instruction rather than a true flaw. But I thought it was worth noting just in case.

Finally, and this is perhaps the point I find most disturbing about Mason Graham, what about his potential?

Because while Mason is indeed an incredible technician whose floor is really high in both running and passing situations, I find it hard to see where he could improve further.

He is already excellent in all aspects of the game and doesn't shine through athletic flashes but rather through a level of technical refinement that is very high. So, what points should he work on to dominate even more than he does now? Well, it's quite rare for me, but I honestly have no idea.