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Michigan DL Throws One Last Jab at Ohio State While Declaring for NFL Draft

Mason Graham couldn't resist taking one last shot at Michigan's bitter rival.

Tim Capurso

Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham celebrates after sacking Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer during first-half action between the Wolverines and Golden Gophers at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham celebrates after sacking Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer during first-half action between the Wolverines and Golden Gophers at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. / Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Just how intense is the Michigan-Ohio State college football rivalry? Look no further than Wolverines junior defensive lineman Mason Graham's Instagram post on Saturday, in which the Anaheim native declared for the 2025 NFL draft.

But that's not all he did.

Graham, in a lengthy post, thanked God, his family, former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and current coach Sherrone Moore as well as his teammates and the fans. Then, in recapping the success he enjoyed in his career in the Maize and Blue, couldn't resist taking one final jab at the Wolverines' bitter rival, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

"It has truly been an honor and a dream come true to represent the University of Michigan the past three years, winning two Big Ten Championships, the Rose Bowl, the 2024 National Championship, and of course, slapping Ohio State around not once, not twice, but three straight years," Graham wrote.

The Buckeyes, led by then-coach Urban Meyer, had dominated much of the 2010s, winning eight games in a row vs. the Wolverines. But Graham, who in September of 2021 committed to Michigan, was part of a '22 recruiting class that flipped the script on Ohio State.

Graham was not on the '21 Michigan team that defeated Ohio State 42–27, but was a part of three straight victories over the program's hated rival, including a stunning 13–10 upset in '24 that knocked the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten title game.

And it's clear that no matter what NFL jersey Graham puts on, the Maize and Blue—and despising Ohio State—will always be close to his heart.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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